Pakistan

Ahmadinejad to Zardari: 'Hand over terrorists'

Iranian president calls Zardari asking him to arrest 'known terrorists' and hand them over to Iran.

Afp December 21, 2010

TEHRAN: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday to arrest and hand over "known terrorists," the Iranian leader's office said on its website.

In a telephone call, the Iranian president "asked Zardari to order his country's security forces to quickly arrest known terrorists and hand them over to the Islamic Republic of Iran," Ahmadinejad's office said in a statement posted on its website.

The phone call followed a suicide attack last week in the southeastern Iranian city of Chabahar that killed 39 people during a Shiite mourning procession. The attack was claimed by Sunni militant group Jundallah (Army of God), which Iran claims receives support from the intelligence services of Pakistan, Britain and the United States.

"The perpetrators of this act are not only non-Muslims, but belong to no religion," the website quoted Ahmadinejad as telling Zardari.

Jundallah says it is fighting for the rights of the ethnic Sunni Baluchis in the Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. The group has been accused of carrying out several such deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchestan. The website said that Zardari told Ahmadinejad Pakistan would not hesitate to help eradicate terrorism. Earlier on Monday, Iran hanged 11 members of Jundallah in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: December 21

Due a typographical error, an earlier version of this article had stated 'his President Asif Ali Zardari'. 'His' has been omitted.

COMMENTS (30)

mushythepussy | 13 years ago | Reply This is what we need getting in the cross-fire of KSA backed sunni vs. Iran backed shia war. Another Irack in making? This is what happens when a country has rent-an-Army model!

mushythepussy | 13 years ago | Reply This is what we need a, getting between the cross-fire of KSA backed sunni and Iran backed shia war! Iraq in waiting?

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Mulla Toofhan | 13 years ago | Reply Declared as the most dangerous country, Caught exporting terror under strategic Assets, Encouraging Terror groups to flourish in its land, Financing the Terror groups. What do you expect Ahamedinajad to do Send roses to these terrorist. Pakistan has to change course before it reaches The Point of No Return.

Neanderthal | 13 years ago | Reply @Asad- Touche....agreed that the figure on reputable websites is 8%. Though the repression is the same and many have migrated to Pakistan from Iran because of it. Lets not take Iran's defiance to US as a qualification to piety.

MAD | 13 years ago | Reply @The palmist: the Iranian govt was planted by the Americans in 79 to act as the enemy that they continually bneed in order to survive otherwise it would have been taken out long ago. Thats my opinion on the Iran regime.

ThePalmist | 13 years ago | Reply It is astonishing to note that most Pakistanis fail to understand that the[ only things they export are terrorism and asylum seekers ( not in Islamic countries where they are unwelcome, but the white West), which they hate, but affords a life far better than they will see in a hundred generations. India can be dismissed since it is led by weak men; but Iran is a quite a different kettle of fish. You will submit to Shia Iran, because messing with them will not be the same as your dealings with India.

sundar | 13 years ago | Reply --Iranian president “asked Zardari to order his country’s security forces to quickly arrest known terrorists and hand them over to the Islamic Republic of Iran"------ LOL. President/prime minister of Pakistan call security chief and give orders??? Ahmadinejad has tremendous sense of humour.

Asad | 13 years ago | Reply @Neandethal - Correction: Sunnis are 9% of the population (not 20%).

nuclear breeder reactor | 13 years ago | Reply pakistan destroy safe heavens or india cluster bomb or sukhnoi fighter plane with french rafale destroy

italy | 13 years ago | Reply india buying sukhnoi fighter planes from russia having bussiness deals with business china upgrading learning from mistakes french nuclear reactors starting and pakistan fighting world terrorism till than pakistan destroy safe heavens and improve relations it will fall when all geting good food good health no fear they work hard they enjoy working hard that nation gets powerful

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply Pretty bad when a known sponsor of terrorism is complaining about another known sponsor of terrorism. Perhaps both countries should stop sponsoring terrorist.

Neanderthal | 13 years ago | Reply The issue here is a much deeper one than just the deplorable incident of the bombing. Iran has a history of sunni repression as does the arab countries have a dislike of shias. Sunnis who have migrated from Iran tell openly of not even being regarded as muslims.Something that is all to clear from their composition of their parliament even though sunnis in Iran are a good 20% or so. A terrorist attack in any case is something that should not be allowed to happen and the perpetrators should not go unpunished. In the same stead Pakistan should be straight forward in telling Iran to come clean on state sponsored sectarian repression.

Asad | 13 years ago | Reply Vasan - To some extent but not completely due to different terms with India as compare to Iran. I would say a joint investigation should happen in case of Mumbai attack. There is a big trust deficit as u know. Gov't/Army are very suspicious of Indian agencies activities; -Why India should turn down Pakistan's request to conduct a joint investigation? -How come terrorist could cover such a long distance on a small boat? -India/Pakistan don't even spare fishermen who just cross the sea border with few miles, how come Indian army couldn't catch them? -Role of David Headley? -Was it an all-pakistanis job or some indians were also involved? Why India is silent on this issue? -All the terrorist got killed, only Kasab remained alive, and he is the only one who got captured in all the cctv footages. What about others? -The murder of Samjhota Express investigating officer,Karkare during Mumbai attacks, why he was given low quality bullet proof jacket? -The involvement of Indian Agency Officer in the Samjhota Express blast, which was previously seen as yet another endeavor of ISI.

2 days ago | 13 years ago | Reply Do more. pakistan. .u need 2 make more

sharjeel+khan | 13 years ago | Reply @syed nadir el-edroos the wahabi minded people dont have common sense,,,,,they might even label a honest leader like ahmedinejad as a zionist-hindu agent,,,,, pity on them

vasan | 13 years ago | Reply Syed Nadir El-Edroos I will take that pride of place of blaming it on Zionist-Hindu agency. I will add CIA as well

Syed Nadir El-Edroos | 13 years ago | Reply All that is left is for someone to claim that Ahmadinejad is a Zionist-Hindu agent hell bent on defaming Pakistan!

vasan | 13 years ago | Reply Asad; Doesnt your suggestion apply to Mumbai terrorists as well. MAD; India behind attacks on the Srilankan crickters?? I havent heard that one.Very funny. I thought your police/agency recently published the identities of attackers on Srilankan team. Do they sound/look Indian. Pl check

sashayub | 13 years ago | Reply till now, iran has reacted in an extremely civilised and diplomatic manner, without taking matters to a higher level of seriousness...more like an older brother...unfortunately, we forget that in addition to the not-so-hidden agenda of the US/Britain/the West as we know it, there is another hidden-state which would thrive on destabilising iran to this extent...this state is Saudi Arabia....while pakistan has welcomed all the terrorist trash from Saudia Arabia, as well as arabs from other parts of the world like sudan, libya, algeria and somalia, the security services and ISI have in fact made millions and billions of dollars from hosting these arab terrorists in parts of Pakistan....of course, when you start charging enormous amounts, the state paying also wants more value for its money, hence the additional request for destabilising iran....basic reason being their practice of the shia line of thought and the fact that any better relations between iran and pakistan may lead to lesser trade ties between saudi/middle east and iran...hence loosing grip on a very important source of income, while remotely controlling iran

MAD | 13 years ago | Reply @vasan Sri Lanka is still a friendly nation for two reasons. All the help Pakistan has given them against the Indian backed Tamil terrorrists. The fact that they too know that India was behin the attack on their cricket team hence such muted criticism of Pakistan at the time.

Majid Maqsood | 13 years ago | Reply President Zardari would definitely help Inrani President because the Zardari has also been victim of terrorism.

Sandeep | 13 years ago | Reply Quoting Farhan:

I always wonder why countries like Iran threaten Pakistan despite knowing that Pakistan has suffered more problems fighting terrorism then their imagination.

Well, every nation has an obligation to protect its own interests first, hence it wudn't really care if Pakistan is suffering more than other nations because ultimately its about the terrorists operating from its very own soil which Pakistan has obviously falied to have any control over. @Khalid

another thought strikes my mind- are we better Muslims than Iranis?

How does that even fit here?

Asad | 13 years ago | Reply @ Farhan Khan Virk - One can argue if USA's threats are genuine or is it just to cover their own deficiencies, on the other hand Iran do not bother interfering in Pakistan's affair unless its own stakes are at risk. A small chaos in Iran could become a pretext to disturb the whole political system in their country. They can't take risk and also wouldn't send their army inside Pakistan. What would you do if you find that the recent attack in Chahbahar had link with Jundullah who is getting nurtured in Balochistan? What would you do if your most senior commander in army gets killed and you know who are the killers and where they reside? It is very logical that Iran wouldn't sit back and relax and wait for Pakistani Gov't to arrest and start a trial.

Faisal | 13 years ago | Reply Is there any country left that hasn't asked Pakistan to "hand over" terrorists?

vasan | 13 years ago | Reply Khalid Aziz.I will shed some light. You must wake up from your sleep and stop dreaming. Srilanka also may not be your friend after the attack on their cricketers Kamal; I second your opinion esp not a single terrorist in Pakistan incl FATA and their agencies

Kamal | 13 years ago | Reply Its a conspiracy of CIA/MOSAD/RAW,there is not a single terrorist in Pakistan..

khalid.aziz | 13 years ago | Reply I don't know why every neighbouring country of Pakistan is crying? India, Afghanistan, Iran and even China (over Xinxiang) are not happy with us.Can anyone shed some light? How could all of them be wrong at the same time? Now lets talk of others from far flung neighbourhoods- France, Germany, Britain are all very critical of Pakistan. Do we still have any friends in International Community- may be Sri Lanka is still a friend. I think its an "international conspiracy" against the only hope of ISLAM- the land of the pure but then another thought strikes my mind- are we better Muslims than Iranis?

Daubic | 13 years ago | Reply Even a Muslim country sitting next to Pakistan is complaining about the terrorists that Pakistan uses against its neighbors. I don't know when this mindset of Pakistan will change.

Asad | 13 years ago | Reply "TEHRAN: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told his President Asif Ali Zardari...... " ...his President...??? Correction required Express Tribune.

Farhan Khan Virk | 13 years ago | Reply I always wonder why countries like Iran threaten Pakistan despite knowing that Pakistan has suffered more problems fighting terrorism then their imagination.President should himself straighten up and describe our motive with full courage whether to Soudi Monarch or Irani President. We're a free nation and we deserve some respect.No one has the right to call our leader and ask him for terrorists!

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