THE suicide blast that hit Iran's Revolutionary Guards near Pakistan-Iran border has killed many, including seven commanders of the elite force.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad charged that the attack had been plotted in Pakistan. The Iranian foreign ministry summoned Pakistan's envoy in Tehran and protested against the use of Pakistan's territory by the terrorists.

Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani minced no words and said that US was involved in the attack. The facts of the matter are yet to be determined. However, the decade-old animosity between US and Iran, US concern about Iran's nuclear programme and the American presence in Afghanistan and Iraq could be the sound basis of his assessment.

Pakistan is a victim of international terrorism and has been fighting out militancy and insurgency since 9/11 and the subsequent US attack on Afghanistan for, what has been described, fighting the terrorism.

In Balochistan, the bordering province with Iran, Pakistan is faced with enemy-aided militancy and insurgency. Pakistan is fighting the enemy on many fronts. Iran's cooperation to fight out the enemy along the Pakistan-Iran border would be of immense benefit for both the countries.

For many, the enemy is known; yet invisible. It does not want to see Pakistan and Iran prosper and live in peace. The two brotherly countries are bound by common religion and culture. They are neighbours - a reality that no one can change. They only need to realise that they have a common enemy.

Apart from Iran's nuclear programme, the proposed Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project is believed to be yet another eyesore for the faceless enemy.

Pakistan and Iran must cooperate with each other for their survival. They need to fight out their common enemy rather than fall into its trap.

A PAKISTANI
Islamabad

(II)

IRAN is having multiple problems and, like India, one of them seems to blame Pakistan when its own dissidents attack it, instead of solving its problem.

The Iranian president alleged that 'some security agents' of Pakistan were ooperating with some elements for the Oct 18 attack. Iran also accused the US of the attack.

Each country must stop acting like an ostrich and face the facts instead of blaming other countries.

AZEM KHAN
Australia