TEHRAN – Commander of the Iranian Border Guard Forces Brigadier General Ahmad Ali Gudarzi has arrived in Pakistan to discuss strengthening border cooperation and maritime security issues, and to participate in international exercises as an observer.
General Top and his entourage arrived at Jinnah International Airport with a delegation from the Border Security Force Command and were received by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) officials.
The visit was made at the invitation of PMSA Director General Major General Shahzad Iqbal.
The Iranian team will participate as observers in the 13th three-day search and rescue exercise called “Barracuda” organized by PMSA in the maritime and border security fields.
General Gowdarji will hold talks with Pakistani officials, including Major General Iqbal, on the sidelines of the exercise.
The 13th Barracuda exercise involving 19 countries began on Tuesday in Pakistan’s territorial waters near the Karachi coast and will run until Thursday.
General Gowdarji will participate in various parts of the training, namely search and rescue exercises.
Iran and Pakistan have common security challenges along their common border, where terrorist and separatist groups operate.
According to intelligence reports from both countries, the group is supported by certain foreign powers, including the Israeli regime.
Iran and Pakistan also cooperate closely in other areas.
Recently, the two countries agreed to expand bilateral trade, develop new areas of cooperation and strengthen regional and international dialogue at the end of new political talks in Islamabad.
The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-e-Ravanshi and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Amna Baloch.
Both sides considered a wide range of bilateral issues and assessed the progress of decisions taken during the previous consultations held in Tehran.
Senior diplomats from Iran and Pakistan also exchanged views on key regional and global developments and reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the talks reflected the close and brotherly ties between the two neighbors, which are rooted in their common history, culture and faith.