Iran asks for Pakistan's 'political will' against terrorism

Tehran, Feb 17, IRNA- Iran parliament has urged Pakistan to show more political will in fighting terrorists that use the country’s soil to launch their attacks. “One of the issues that was raised in the National Security Commission today was that terrorist groups use the Pakistani territory to take actions against Iran,” said Ali Najafi Khoshravi, a Spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iran's parliament following a meeting about the recent terrorist attack in the south-eastern Sistan and Baluchestan Province that killed 27 border forces. The lawmaker said Tehran understands Islamabad’s problems in controlling its border with Iran but he called on the neighboring country to “show stronger political will not to allow terrorist groups to use its soil to attack Iran.' Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and other security officials attended the commission’s meeting on Sunday. A suicide car bomber killed 27 members of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and injured up to 13 others last Wednesday. The terrorist attack took place on a road that connects Zahedan, provincial capital of Sistan-Baluchestan, to Khash, a small town close to the Pakistani border. Khoshravi added that authorities present at the meeting stressed on beefing up security at the borders as well as carrying out sustainable development projects in border areas. He said the Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Pakistani Ambassador Riffat Masood while Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost has held talks with Pakistani armed forces. Many international entities such as the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and a whole lot other countries have all condemned the attack. Iranian authorities will also negotiate with Indian officials to “combat terrorist in the region”, according to Khoshravi. “We hope all these measures send a clear message to Pakistan and terrorist groups,” he noted. One day after the terrorist attack in Iran, at least 40 Indian forces were killed in a suicide attack in the Indian Kashmir. The explosion was claimed by a terrorist group, based in Pakistan.