Top Iran, Pakistan military officials discuss enhanced naval cooperation, key security issues

Top Iranian and Pakistani military officials have discussed possible ways to improve cooperation in various fields, particularly naval security, among a wide range of other topics.

The chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Baqeri, who is in Pakistan on an official visit, held talks with Chief of the Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy Admiral M Amjad Khan Niazi in Islamabad on Thursday.

The two commanders exchanged views about issues of mutual interest and the latest status of relations between Iran and Pakistan, including the current level bilateral naval cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani Navy’s public relations office said in a statement that Baqeri’s visit would be a step forward in efforts to further strengthen relations between the two neighboring countries.

Over the past two days, the top Iranian commander held meetings with senior Pakistani political and military officials, including Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan Army General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Reza and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The sides discussed strategies to boost Tehran-Islamabad relations in military, security and strategic fields, increase security on common borders, promote peace and stability in the region and the Muslim world, particularly in Afghanistan.

The ongoing developments in neighboring Afghanistan have been a major concern for both Iran and Pakistan.

Iran’s top general, Pakistan PM discuss promotion of defense cooperation, alarming situation in neighboring Afghanistan

Iran’s top military commander and the Pakistani prime minister discuss promotion of border security and defense cooperation.

In his meeting with Baqeri, the Pakistani premier stressed that there is no military solution to Afghanistan’s problems, calling for the formation of an inclusive government comprising of all Afghan groups.

The Taliban militant group retook control of Afghanistan on August 15, two decades after they were ousted from power as a result of a US-led military invasion of the country.

Taliban’s seizure of power came in the wake of the withdrawal of US and foreign forces from Afghanistan. President Ashraf Ghani also fled the country.

On September 7, the Taliban announced the formation of a caretaker government in Afghanistan, where hunger and poverty have significantly increased during the past two months.

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