Commander Upbeat on Pakistan’s Push for Release of Iranian Border Guards


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Commander of Iran’s Border Police said the Pakistani Army has launched an operation to release the remaining Iranian border guards abducted by terrorists at a military post on the common border back in October 2018.

In comments on Sunday, Brigadier General Qassem Rezaei highlighted the Pakistani Army’s military capabilities, saying the Islamabad government could wipe off terrorist and criminal groups from the region with serious resolve.

He said the Pakistani Army has announced the launch of an operation to liberate the Iranian border guards, expressing confidence that Pakistan would give a positive response to Iran’s request.

On October 15, 2018, the so-called Jaish-ul-Adl terrorist group infiltrated the country from the Pakistani side of the border and took hostage 14 border guards, local Basij forces, and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) members.

The IRGC Ground Force’s Quds Base said on that day that the local Basij forces and the border regiment forces stationed at the border post in Mirjaveh region in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan had been abducted after “acts of treason and collusion” involving an element or elements of the anti-Revolution groups who had infiltrated the country.

On November 22, the IRGC said five of the abductees returned home after consultations and interaction with Pakistan.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern border areas are frequently attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tehran has frequently asked the two neighbors to step up security at the common border to prevent terrorist attacks on Iranian forces.