Islam Times - War on Terrorism Requires Int’l Cooperation, Iran Says after Quetta Attack

Islam Times - The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned Saturday’s deadly terrorist attack in Pakistan’s Quetta, Pakistan, calling for close regional and international coordination to eradicate terrorism.

Expressing sympathy with Pakistan over the loss of people in the tragic blast at a railroad station in Quetta, Esmaeil Baqaei said such terrorist measures are not justifiable by any means as they violate all legal and humanitarian norms and principles.

He also reiterated Iran’s strong condemnation of all forms of terrorism and radicalism, stressing that the eradication of such inauspicious phenomenon requires stronger cooperation among all countries at the bilateral, regional and international levels.

Baqaei also expressed Iran’s readiness for closer coordination in the fight against terrorism.

At least 24 people have been killed and more than 40 wounded in the bombing at a railroad station in the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province.

The explosion on Saturday happened as nearly 100 passengers waited on a platform at about 8:45 am in Quetta for a train to Peshawar, Al Jazeera reported.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying in a statement that a suicide bomber targeted troops present at the railway station.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the bombing, saying those who orchestrated the attack “will pay a very heavy price for it”, adding that security forces were determined to eliminate “the menace of terrorism”.