The Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday cautioned Tehran that a warning issued by the Iranian army chief a day earlier was against the "spirit of brotherly relations" between Pakistan and Iran.

Read more: Iran warns will hit 'militant safe havens' inside Pakistan

The FO summoned Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honardoost to convey Pakistan's concerns regarding a warning issued by Maj Gen Mohammad Baqeri that Tehran would hit 'militant safe havens' inside Pakistan if the government did not confront militants who carried out cross-border attacks last month.

"We expect Pakistani officials to control the borders, arrest the terrorists and shut down their bases," Baqeri had said on Monday. "If the terrorist attacks continue, we will hit their safe havens and cells, wherever they are," he added.

During his meeting with the ambassador, FO Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria, highlighting an improvement in bilateral relations between the two countries, urged Iran to refrain from making statements that would harm relations, according to the statement.

Zakaria said an agreement had already been reached to "enhance cooperation on border issues" during the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on May 3.

Zarif in his visit had asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to improve border security, and Pakistan had assured Iran it would deploy additional troops along its border.

Opinion

Editorial

Governance test
Updated 15 Aug, 2026

Governance test

EVER since the interior minister called for smaller administrative units to improve governance, the question of new...
Sailors’ killing
15 Aug, 2026

Sailors’ killing

THE killing of at least three Pakistani sailors in an apparent Houthi attack targeting a vessel in the waters of Bab...
Lethal celebrations
15 Aug, 2026

Lethal celebrations

IT is a familiar tale. Every year, occasions for national celebration turn into fear and mourning just because some...
Taliban support
Updated 14 Aug, 2026

Taliban support

THE latest UN monitoring report analysing the activities of several transnational terrorist groups is unequivocal in...
Job policy for youth
14 Aug, 2026

Job policy for youth

STRIPPED of its rhetoric, the prime minister’s announcement of Pakistan’s first National Youth Employment Policy...
Jail improvements
14 Aug, 2026

Jail improvements

THE Punjab government is spending Rs5bn on modernising jail facilities in the province, but to what end? The...