An effective fight against terrorism in the region requires the cooperation of influential Asian countries, particularly China and Central Asian nations, gripped by the fear of rising extremism, a senior security official said.
"We are seeking the cooperation of other influential countries in Asia to combat terrorism," Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani told IRNA in remarks published on Friday.
He made the statements before leaving the Black Sea resort city of Sochi in Russia where he attended the Ninth International Meeting of High-Level Representatives on Security Issues.
The United States plans to "exert pressure" on and "undermine security" in independent countries such as Iran, Russia and China, Shamkhani said, adding that a collective action is needed to address the growing threats.
"We want China and some Central Asian countries to participate in such efforts. And Afghanistan will be one of the cornerstones of our cooperation", as Washington plans to pave the way for the infiltration of terrorists linked to the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group into the landlocked country, he added.
Shamkhani said the summit provided a good platform for participants to discuss the path forward concerning the campaign against terrorism.
"In this regard, we had a joint meeting with our Russian and Pakistani counterparts to initiate the next steps," he said.
Joint Confab and Multilateral Collaboration
According to IRNA, Secretary of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Pakistan's National Security Advisor Nasser Khan Janjua and Shamkhani agreed in their talks to organize a joint security conference with the participation of regional countries, but the date has not yet been decided.
In addition, they emphasized the importance of continued consultation with the aim of promoting peace and security in the volatile region.
The need for multilateral collaboration to defeat terrorism was emphasized by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message to the security event in Sochi, which was held from April 24 to 26.
"In the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, international cooperation is more important than ever. Terrorist organizations have become increasingly transnational. Heightened vigilance and targeted surveillance are essential, if we are to disrupt terrorist networks, track their activities and target their finances," he said.
The UN chief announced that the first United Nations high-level conference of heads of counter-terrorism agencies of member states will be convened in June.
"The aim is to strengthen multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation through new global, regional and bilateral partnerships," he said.
