News in Brief
Iran, Pakistan defend mutual ties against saboteurs
Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari says that Tehran and Islamabad will not allow saboteurs to harm bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.
The Pakistani foreign minister made the remarks on Thursday in an interview with IRNA about a Saturday killing of five Iranian border guards by terrorists at the joint border with Pakistan.
Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier issued a statement to slam the terrorist attack and said that Islamabad is committed to cooperating with Tehran in the fight against terrorism.
The border guards were martyred in Saravan, southeastern Iran, on Saturday after terrorists raided a border security checkpoint in the region. The terrorists then retreated to the Pakistani territory.
Furthermore, the committee of foreign affairs of Pakistan’s Senate called on Zardari on Friday to pursue bolstering ties with Iran, adding that Islamabad should not neglect Tehran’s important position in the region and the world.
Zardari, in turn, noted that improved relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia would also have a positive effect on Pakistan.
Iran expects to launch two satellites
this year
Iran’s Defense Minister expressed hope that Iran would be able to “do wonders” and launch two satellites into space in the current Iranian calendar year, which ends on March 19, 2024.
Pointing out that Iran is among the top countries in the world with space programs, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said that the capable hands of Iranian scientists have devised highly-versatile satellites, the launch of which will “hopefully bring joy to our beloved Iranians”.