Egypt, Pakistan Agree to Boost Cooperation in Fight Against Terrorism, Extremism

Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)
TT

Egypt, Pakistan Agree to Boost Cooperation in Fight Against Terrorism, Extremism

Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met on Wednesday with visiting Foreign Minister of Pakistan Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in the presence of Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry.

The two leaders discussed means of boosting security and economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as combining efforts to fight terrorism and extremism.

Qureshi conveyed to Sisi a message from Pakistani President Arif Alavi, inviting him to visit Pakistan and expressing Islam Abad's keenness to boost bilateral cooperation with Cairo.

The message also affirmed that the stability of Egypt is the pillar of stability in the Middle East and the Islamic world as a whole.

"Pakistan looks at the Egyptian development experience with appreciation and looks forward to benefiting from it in light of the similar situations in the two friendly countries and the common challenges facing them," the message read.

Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency said Sisi stressed that Egypt welcomes the development of bilateral cooperation and exchange of experience in various fields with Pakistan.

He also expressed Egypt’s keenness to enhance coordination and consultation with Pakistan on various regional issues of common interest, on top of which is combating terrorism and the extremist ideology.

The two leaders further highlighted means of exploring prospects for cooperation between Gwadar Port in Pakistan and the Suez Canal Economic Zone to establish industrial projects.

For his part, Shoukry also held separate talks with Qureshi.

"We've agreed to intensify cooperation in the coming stage to completely obliterate terrorism, whose confrontation requires consolidating international efforts," Shoukry told reporter in a joint press conference with Qureshi following their talks.



Iran to Support Hezbollah Militarily if Israel Launches War on Lebanon

An Israeli firefighter works to extinguish fires ignited by missiles launched by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon (Reuters)
An Israeli firefighter works to extinguish fires ignited by missiles launched by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon (Reuters)
TT

Iran to Support Hezbollah Militarily if Israel Launches War on Lebanon

An Israeli firefighter works to extinguish fires ignited by missiles launched by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon (Reuters)
An Israeli firefighter works to extinguish fires ignited by missiles launched by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon (Reuters)

Iran announced its readiness to support Hezbollah militarily in the event that Israel launches a large-scale war on Lebanon.

An advisor to the Iranian leader, Kamal Kharrazi, said that his country “will do its best to support [Hezbollah] if Israel launched a large-scale war against Lebanon,” the official Lebanese National News Agency reported.

In response to a question on whether Iran would support the party militarily in case of a large-scale conflict erupting in Lebanon, Kharrazi, who also serves as head of the Iranian Strategic Council for International Relations, indicated that “in such a case, Tehran will not have any other option.”

He continued: “We will have no choice but to support [Hezbollah] with all the means and capabilities available to us.”

The Iranian position comes in conjunction with Israeli threats to expand the war, and the Israeli army’s preparations in the north for a wide-scale confrontation in Lebanon.

“We are determined to continue fighting until the war goals of destroying the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, the return of the kidnappers, and the safe return of residents in the north and south to their homes are achieved,” the Israeli army said, adding: “We are strengthening preparations for war on the northern front against Hezbollah.”

However, these statements come in parallel with other leaks that suggest that the army was not ready for a large-scale war. An article published by the New York Times said that Israeli generals believe that their forces, which are “underequipped for further fighting after Israel’s longest war in decades... need time to recuperate in case a land war breaks out against Hezbollah.”

“A truce with Hamas could also make it easier to reach a deal with Hezbollah, according to the officials, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters,” the NY Times article read.

Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that a house in Kiryat Shmona was hit by projectiles fired from Lebanon, while Israeli attacks in South Lebanon killed a farmer who had remained in his town despite the onslaught.

The NNA said that an Israeli drone attacked the town of Taybeh in South Lebanon with three missiles, with one of them hitting an electricity transformer.