Iran's Interior Minister in Pakistan over Jundallah

Fri Oct 23, 2009

Iran's Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar has arrived in Pakistan days after a terrorist attack which killed over 40 people in Iranian southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan .

The Iranian official left Tehran at the head of a political and security delegation on Friday morning and will be meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, as well as President Asif Ali Zardari.

The meeting will focus on ways to dismantle Jundallah, a group which took responsibility for the deadly attack in Iran.

"This is not the first time the terrorist cell have committed crimes. The Iranians are wondering how such a group easily commute in the neighboring Pakistan's soil," Mohammad-Najjar told reporters before leaving.

Tehran considers Jundallah as a terrorist group. Iran has asked Pakistan to capture and hand over Jundallah's leader Abdulmalek Rigi.

"I had a telephone conversation with Pakistan's Interior Minister [Rehman Malik] and asked him to immediately deliver the perpetrators," he added.

The Iranian minister further pointed out that Iran-Pakistan border areas have always been peaceful adding, "Today, Iran's border areas are the safest for Pakistan and the Iranian nation and government expect the Pakistani border areas be safe for us as well."

"Today, many countries are the victims of terrorism including Pakistan. It is high time we eradicate the roots of terrorism for ever," he explained.

Iran's interior minister says according to the Iranian intelligence the Pakistan-based terrorist group receives financial, intelligence, and political support from the West.

"We have some documents that show Rigi's group use advanced equipment which are provided by the world arrogant powers to sow the seeds of discord between Shia and Sunni." He noted.

At least 41 people, including ranking commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) were killed by an explosion during a unity conference between Sunni and Shia tribal leaders in the borderline city of Pishin in Sistan-Baluchistan on Sunday.

The Pakistan-based Jundallah, led by Abdolmalik Rigi, has staged a torrent of bombings and terrorist attacks in Iran.

In a recent interview with Press TV, Rigi's brother, Abdulhamid, confirmed that the Jundallah leader had established links with the US agents.

His brother said that in just one of his meetings with the US operatives, Rigi had received $100,000 to fuel sectarianism in Iran.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/109387.html.