A violent encounter with an armed faction in the volatile southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan resulted in the deaths of five Iranian border guards on Sunday, as reported by state media.
The deadly clash occurred in Saravan, adjacent to Iran’s border with Pakistan, according to the official IRNA news agency. Initial reports from the judiciary’s Mizan Online site, citing local prosecutor Mehdi Shamsabadi, had stated six border guards had lost their lives. However, this was later corrected to five.
The IRNA reported that the assault was launched by “a terrorist group intent on infiltrating the country,” but the assailants “retreated from the scene, suffering injuries.”
In response to the attack, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani called for Pakistan to “intensify efforts against terrorist factions” and to “strive to enhance the security of our shared borders.”
“Certainly, the objective of these terrorist factions is to disturb the peace and security of our common borders and the residents living on the frontiers of both nations,” Kanani added.
Pakistan’s stance was conveyed later on Sunday when a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Office publicly denounced the terrorist attack in the Saravan region of Iran, which led to the deaths of the Iranian security personnel.
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In their statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office expressed the country’s profound condolences to the bereaved families and to the Iranian government, condemning the tragic incident.
It further stated: “Echoing the sentiments shared during the recent meeting between the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the President of Iran, we emphasize the necessity for collaborative efforts to eradicate terrorism on both sides of the border. Pakistan regards the Pak-Iran border as a frontier of peace and friendship and is devoted to working with Iran towards this aim.”
Sistan-Baluchistan, a region also bordering Afghanistan and marked by poverty, is a hotbed for conflicts with drug smuggling rings, as well as with insurgents from the Baluchi minority and with Sunni Muslim extremist factions.
This assault is considered among the most lethal in recent months within the province. On March 11, two policemen lost their lives in a similar confrontation with “criminals” in the region, as reported by IRNA.
