Anti-Terrorism, Anti-Drug Meeting With Afghans

The third meeting of the Joint Iran-Afghan Security-Defense Cooperation Committee was held Friday in Tehran during which the two sides explored ways to combat terrorism and drug trafficking.

The meeting was attended by high-ranking delegations from  both countries led by Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, and Yama Karzai, deputy national security advisor to the Afghan president, ISNA reported.

The two sides discussed problems and security threats in the Middle East region as well as ways of building cooperation to counter existing threats, especially the unending scourge of terrorism and narcotics.

Both delegations further stressed the need for effective consultations and coordination between security agencies responsible for fighting terror, controlling the porous borders, combating drug trafficking and organized crime.

Problems and threats facing the region and ways to counter the existing threats, particularly those related to terrorism, were also discussed.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern borders are often attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tehran has often asked the two neighbors to step up security at the common borders to prevent the terrorist attacks and drug smuggling.