Iran urges Pakistani clampdown on terrorism

NEW DELHI, (AFP)

Iran's deputy foreign minister urged Pakistan on Friday to boost its counter-terror efforts, three weeks after the Mumbai attacks that India has blamed on a Pakistan-based militant group.

"Our Pakistani friends, they should also take the lessons and they should also deal with the terrorists in a very strong manner," Mohammad Mehdi Akhondzadeh told reporters in New Delhi.

"I believe the Pakistan leadership could also make that strong commitment that they are not tolerating terrorist activities," Akhondzadeh said.

Questioned on who Tehran believed to be responsible for the attacks in Mumbai that claimed 172 lives, including those of nine militant gunmen, the minister refused to point the finger at any government or group.Indo-Pakistan tensions have soared in the wake of the attacks, but Akhondzadeh stressed that the two nuclear-armed neighbours had long experience in steering a path through bilateral crises.

"India and Pakistan, in the past few years, have proved they have the political maturity to deal with the consequences of terrorism here and there," he said.

"I know that once the two leaders of the two countries sit together, they can sort out many things," he added.India's foreign minister said earlier this week that the peace process with Pakistan, resurrected in 2004, had been put on hold in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, which New Delhi has blamed on Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant outfit fighting Indian rule in disputed Kashmir.