ISLAMABAD: Iran on Monday sought cooperation from Pakistan on border security issues and trans-border crimes.

Ali Shamkhani, the head of Iran’s National Security Council, according to Iranian official news agency IRNA, told his visiting Pakis­tani counterpart, retired Lt Gen Nasser Janjua, that it was necessary to maintain sustainable security in the border areas and work out a joint action plan against terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking and weapons smuggling.

Gen Janjua is in Tehran on a three-day trip for talks on security issues.

Iran is concerned about terrorist attacks carried out allegedly by terrorists having sanctuaries on Pakistani side of the border. On the other hand, Pakistan is worried about Iran’s growing ties with India and the use of Iranian soil by Indian intelligence agency the Research and Analysis Wing for subversive activities in Pakistan.

Mr Shamkhani told Gen Janjua that “Iran and Pakistan must enhance level of cooperation and design a joint mechanism to thwart the threats and take immediate measures to deal with the new security situation”.

He accused a Middle Eastern monarchy of promoting insecurity at Iran­ian borders with Pakistan and affecting Iran’s relations with Pakistan by providing weapons to militants.

He said that the country trying to drive a wedge between Pakistan and Iran was secretly developing ties with Israel.

Gen Janjua was quoted as having called for unity and awareness among Muslim countries for foiling external conspiracies.

The two sides also deliberated on the issue of detained Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who had remained based in Iran.

Iran had taken up the matter with India and warned it against using Iranian soil against Pakistan, a diplomat familiar with the issue said.

The Pakistani national security adviser said that end of curbs on Iran had opened new avenues of Pakistan-Iran cooperation.

Later, Gen Janjua met Iranian Interior Minis­ter Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli for a discussion on border incidents and the groups involved in sabotage activities. Iran has made a number of arrests over the past few months and foiled a couple of major terrorist plots.

In a meeting with the head of the Strategic Centre of the Expediency Council, Ali Akbar Velayati, Gen Janjua said that Pakistan and Iran could work for resolving issues faced by the Muslim world.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2016