Iran Urges Pakistan to Do All It Can to Free Iranian Abductees

Several Iranian border guards and voluntary forces were abducted by a terrorist group in Mirjaveh region of Sistan and Baluchestan province, south-eastern Iran, and were transferred to Pakistan on Tuesday.

In reaction, Bahram Qassemi condemned the move and said the ministry has asked Pakistan to take necessary measures.

“This afternoon, the foreign minister’s assistant on West Asia affairs asked the Pakistani ambassador that the country’s government immediately takes all measures to set free Iranian border forces and arrest the wicked terrorists,” he noted.

Qassemi said Islamabad is expected to do all it can within the framework of bilateral ties, the principle of good neighbourliness and commitments resulting from bilateral agreement and international law.

He said the Pakistani ambassador has been asked to relay the message to Islamabad and inform the Iranian foreign ministry of the response.

“The Pakistani ambassador expressed deep regret over the incident and stressed he will inform Islamabad of the issue and report back the outcome of the Pakistani government’s measures,” he said.

The spokesman said Iran’s ambassador in Islamabad has also met local officials and “called for serious action by the Pakistani government to free Iranian border guards and deal with Takfiri and terrorist groups who attack Iran’s border areas from Pakistan and carry out subversive actions, abduction, murder and crime.”