Iran, Pakistan team up in fight against terrorism

Iran and its southeastern neighbor Pakistan are teaming up in their fight against terrorism, local media reported on Sunday.

Terrorism is a "big and serious" problem in the region, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said in a meeting with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who arrived in Iran's capital Tehran on Sunday for an official visit.

"Iran and Pakistan can uproot terrorism and violence in the region by inviting other regional states to enhance intelligence, security and operational cooperation," he said, emphasizing the need to secure the border regions.

Nawaz Sharif said terrorism has severely hit Pakistan's economy, reiterating Rouhani's calls to control the border regions, Press TV reported.

The border regions are a particular concern for both countries as reports of attacks continue to surface. Last week, Iran arrested a number of "armed terrorists" in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province near the border with Pakistan, Press TV reported. Police said the suspects intended to carry out acts of " sabotage."

In February, Iran's Pakistan-based Jaish al-Adl Sunni rebel group abducted five Iranian border guards. They killed one of them in March and released the remaining four in April. The group has also claimed responsibility for a deadly attack last October in a mountainous area near Saravan city, in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province bordering Pakistan.

Sharif's two-day visit, which comes at the invitation of the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, is the first Pakistani leadership level visit since the formation of new Iranian government in August 2013.

During his stay, Sharif will meet with Rouhani and discuss issues including bilateral, regional and international developments, according to official IRNA news agency.