Iran urges action from Pakistan

The Nation

TEHRAN (Agencies) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday urged his Pakistani counterpart to confront a Sunni rebel group which Tehran says is behind the bombing on the Revolutionary Guards that killed dozens.

"Iran and Pakistan have a brotherly relationship but the presence of terrorist elements in Pakistan is not justifiable," Ahmadinejad told Asif Ali Zardari during a telephone call received from the Pakistani leader, Iran's official IRNA news agency said.

"The Pakistani government should help to quickly arrest these criminals so they can punished," the Iranian President said, adding: "The criminal terrorists must be seriously confronted by setting up a bilateral timetable."

IRNA said Zardari expressed his condolences and agreed on setting up a timetable to confront the rebel group, Jundulluh (Soldiers of Allah).

President Zardari has assured Ahmadinejad that Pakistan will not allow anyone to use its soil against Iran and Pakistani security authorities would collaborate with Iranian officials to bring the culprits behind the deadly suicide attack to justice.

According to Iranian news agency, President Zardari promised to his Iranian counterpart that Pakistan would handover Abdul Malik Rigi, head of Jundulluh group who claimed the responsibility of bombing, to Iran but Pakistani security agencies say he is not in the country.

The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, vowed to "retaliate" against the US and Britain after accusing them and neighbouring Pakistan of backing militants who blew up six Guards commanders.

He said Tehran will demand that Pakistan hand over Jundulluh leader Abdolmalek Rigi, who is accused of being the mastermind of the bombing.

He said Iranian security officials had presented documents indicating "direct ties" from Jundulluh to US, British and, "unfortunately", Pakistani intelligence organisations, the ISNA news agency said. "Behind this scene are the American and British intelligence apparatus, and there will have to be retaliatory measures to punish them," Jafari was quoted as saying.

Jafari said Rigi and his plans were "undoubtedly under the umbrella and the protection" of US, British and Pakistani organisations, though he limited the threat of retaliation to the US and Britain.

Jafari said a Tehran delegation will head to Pakistan to deliver "proof to them so they know that the Islamic Republic is aware of its (Pakistan's) support" to the group led by Rigi. "The delegation will ask for him (Rigi) to be handed over," Jafari was quoted as saying by ISNA news agency.

Jundulluh claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, a US monitoring group said. "This martyrdom-seeking operation" was to avenge "the wounds of the Baloch people which have been bleeding for years without end," it said in a statement on the Internet, said SITE Intelligence Group. Jafari also charged that Rigi takes orders from the intelligence services of Britain, Pakistan and the United States.

"The group of Rigi has direct contact with the American and British intelligence services and unfortunately the Pakistani intelligence service," Jafari said. "He is supported by them and without doubt he is acting under their orders and plans."

Iran's first deputy speaker Mohammad Hassan Abutorabi rammed home the point, telling parliament on Monday that "the horrible crime in Sistan-Baluchestan was carried out with the direct support of criminal America and its mercenaries." General Mohammad Pakpour, the head of Guards' ground forces and whose deputy was killed in the powerful blast, said Washington and London had trained and equipped those who carried out the attack against Iran's prestigious military force. "The terrorists were trained in the neighbouring country (Pakistan) by the Americans and British. The enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are unable to tolerate the unity in the country," Pakpour said on state television.