Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran has sent a delegation to Pakistan's Baluchistan to negotiate for the release of kidnapped Iranian soldiers, the country's deputy interior minister Ali Abdollahi said, Iran's ISNA news agency reported on Feb. 21.
The delegation headed by Iranian Sistan and Baluchistan Province's deputy-governor for political and security affairs, Ali Asghar Mirshekari was sent on Feb. 19 to Pakistan, Abdollahi said, adding that the delegation is negotiating for freedom of the soldiers. He did not unveil any further details about the result of the negotiations.
Five Iranian border guards were abducted in the Jakigour region in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province on Feb. 6 and transferred to Pakistani territory.
The so-called Jaish-ul-Adl group claimed responsibility for the abductions.
Footage of the kidnapped border guards were published on Feb. 15 for the first time.
In the video, the soldiers said that they are being held by the Jeish- ul-Adl and asked the Iranian government to meet the demands of the kidnappers.
On Feb. 17, Iranian media outlets quoted Iran's interior minister, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli as saying Iran held Pakistan accountable on the issue. Iranian forces will enter Pakistan, if the country does not take actions "against terrorist groups", he added.
Edited by C.N.