Official sources said that a joint meeting called by the Iranian authorities was held between the officials of both countries at Raahdari Gate in Taftan on Monday night.

Taftan Assistant Commissioner Asmat­ullah Achakzai, along with Naib Rasaldar Ilahi Bakhsh Notezai, participated in the meeting, which was also attended by Mir Javeh Marzabn, Mohammad Raza Akhwan and Agha-e-Hameed.

The officials discussed border-related issues and it was decided that security would be further beefed up on the Pak-Iran border between Taftan and Mir Javeh, a Levies Force officer told Dawn.

He said Mr Asmatullah Achakzai raised the issue of the prolonged closure of Zero Point Gate, which is used for local tax-free trade between Pakistan and Iran.

The Iranian officials assured their Pakistani counterparts that Zero Point would be reopened once the presidential election concluded in Iran.

Blood donors: A ceremony for distribution of awards among blood donors was held in Dalbandin on Monday to mark the World Blood Donation Day by the Bolan Blood Bank (BBB), a non-governmental organization.

Speaking on the occasion, Chagai Deputy Commissioner Agha Sher Zaman, District Support Manager of the Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative Wahab Baloch, BBB Cha­irman Mohammad Bakhsh Baloch and others speakers said that volunteers donating blood were playing a vital role in saving people’s lives.

They said donating blood during a specific gap would help improve health conditions of the donor. They urged the participants to promote awareness among the masses about the importance of blood donation.

The participants and speakers lauded the services of BBB and its Chairman Mohammad Bakhsh Baloch who have been providing free of cost blood to the needy people, particularly thalassemia patients, for the past several years.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iranian Navy commander Rear Admiral Khanzadi said Iran is waiting for Pakistan’s response to join an upcoming joint wargame with Russia and China in the Indian Ocean, dubbed ‘Maritime Security Belt’.

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Larijani made the remarks on the need for a closer border security co-op with Pakistan, during a meeting with a team of Pakistani lawmakers in Tehran.

Larijani also said the Iran-Pakistan parliamentary friendship group can help strengthen parliamentary ties between two countries, Tasnim reported.

Larijani further said the volume of trade between the two countries should increase, adding that a banking mechanism needs to be created for the purpose.

During the meeting, Syed Naveed Qamar, who leads the Pakistani parliamentary delegation, briefed the Iranian parliament speaker about his earlier meetings with parliamentary and government authorities and discussions on various issues of mutual interest.

Qamar said the friendship group was acting as ambassadors of Iran in Pakistan’s parliament.

He also noted that the mechanisms regarding “barter trade” and “border markets” were being worked out.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been seeking to deescalate tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He visited Iran last month for the purpose. He held talks with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.

Pakistan has a close relationship with Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Compared to other countries, Pakistan has a better and more acceptable record for mediation which affects Iran’s view.

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Speaking to reporters during a visit to the border areas of Iran’s Sistan and Balouchestan province on Saturday, Brigadier General Qassem Rezaei said the Iranian and Pakistani border guards have established an agenda for protecting the common border after consultations between the two countries’ officials.

He said the joint efforts between the two neighbors have facilitated trips by Pakistani pilgrims at the Mirjaveh border crossing.

The commander also unveiled plans for the promotion of cooperation with Pakistan’s coast guard in order to ensure Iran-Pakistan border security along the common sea border.

In April, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan agreed to set up a joint rapid reaction unit along the common border to combat terrorism.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern border areas are frequently attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In February, a bus carrying IRGC personnel was traveling between the cities of Zahedan and Khash in Sistan and Balouchestan, when it was targeted in a suicide car bomb attack.

Twenty-seven IRGC members were killed and 13 others injured in the attack, claimed by the so-called Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group based in Pakistan.

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