Iran says ready to mediate between India and Pakistan
Iranian foreign ministry on Monday announced Tehran's readiness to mediate between India and Pakistan to solve the existing tension if the two countries ask for that.
'From the very beginning, Iran thought the tension between India and Pakistan was abhorrent , and given the regional and international developments, Tehran sees it as beneficial to none of them,' Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said here during his weekly press briefing.
He further urged New Delhi and Islamabad to solve the dispute through peaceful means.
The tension began on February 14, when a suicide attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian forces. The incident was followed by some retaliatory attacks and exchange of fire by the two sides.
'Iran will spare no effort to help establish peace and friendship between India and Pakistan if they need,' he said.
He also said that Iran had asked Islamabad to take the issue of border security more seriously.
Iran's southeastern border, neighboring Pakistan, has frequently been the scene of terrorist attacks against Iranian border guards. A recent attack on February 13 killed at least 27 forces of Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in the southeastern Iranian Province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
'The investigations of the attack is an important issue for Iran's leadership, state and all related entities, and will be followed seriously,' Qasemi said.
'We have been diplomatically and non-diplomatically in contact with various departments in Pakistan, and the issue will be pursued till reaching the desired result,' the spokesman said.
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