WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed concern over terrorist attacks originating from Afghan territory and targeting Pakistan, saying Washington does not want Pakistan to become a victim of terrorism.
Rubio acknowledged Pakistan’s security concerns regarding cross-border militant attacks and its position that the Afghan Taliban have failed to prevent terrorist activities launched from Afghanistan.
Speaking about the security situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the US secretary of state said Islamabad had taken action against terrorist threats originating across the border.
He said Pakistan remained concerned about terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and maintained that the Afghan Taliban authorities had not effectively stopped cross-border attacks.
Rubio expressed support for Pakistan’s concerns, stressing that the United States did not want the country to face terrorist violence.
He described terrorist attacks against Pakistan from Afghan territory as a matter of concern.
His remarks come amid continuing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over cross-border security and the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan territory.
Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns about terrorist attacks originating from Afghanistan and has called on the Afghan Taliban authorities to prevent their territory from being used for activities against Pakistan.
The US secretary of state’s comments highlighted Washington’s concern over the security challenges facing Pakistan and the broader implications of cross-border terrorism.
Separately, Rubio addressed the possibility of renewed US military strikes against Iran, saying President Donald Trump had not made any decision to launch further attacks.
He said communication between Washington and Tehran had not completely ended and confirmed that direct contacts had taken place between the two countries.
However, Rubio declined to provide details about progress in the negotiations or indicate any specific timeline for a possible agreement.
He maintained that it was too early to predict whether the ongoing diplomatic contacts would produce a breakthrough.
The remarks came as the United States continued diplomatic engagement with Iran while monitoring security developments involving Pakistan and Afghanistan.