Balochistan: Iran and Pakistan Agree to Appoint High-Ranking Officials for Border Coordination

BW Monitoring Desk: Pakistan and Iran have decided to station Colonel-rank officers at the Goldsmith Line, the artificial border that divides Balochistan between Iran and Pakistan, for counterterrorism. The so-called “border coordination” decision was made after the visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan.

Iranian and Pakistani media sources reported that border liaison officers from Iran’s IRGC and Pakistan’s Army could assume their duties in a matter of days in the Iranian-Occupied Balochistan in Zahedan) and the Pakistani-Occupied Balochistan in Turbat respectively.

Iran and Pakistan are also reportedly working on a security pact, which will enable both countries to exchange intelligence information for cooperation and counterterrorism efforts.

Sources reported that both countries also plan to impose restrictions on each other’s active “terrorist organisations”, which are active in border regions.

There are also reports that Pakistan-China-Iran mutual anti-terrorism talks will be held soon, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is expected to pay an important visit to Iran in the coming months.

It’s important to note that the first trilateral consultation between China, Pakistan, and Iran regarding regional security issues, including charting a counter-terrorism policy, was held in Beijing in June 2023.

At the time, the Baloch pro-freedom leader and president of the Free Balochistan Movement, Hyrbyair Marri, criticized the consultation as a promotion of collaboration between the three countries, describing them as an “axis of evil” at the expense of the Baloch people.

Mr. Marri added that it was a conspiracy of China, Iran, and Pakistan to collude and intensify the exploitation of Balochistan’s natural resources, destroy the Baloch nation, and suppress the movement for the Baloch people’s freedom.

“It is alarming and a wakeup call for the Baloch nation. Every Baloch should know that none of these three entities can be sympathizers and well-wishers of the Baloch nation. Among them is an expansionist China, with a track record of encroaching into other countries such as Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong.”