Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar.26
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
A government may be involved in the Iranian border guards' abduction incident in Pakistan, ISNA quoted Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying on March 26.
It seems that all similar acts against the Islamic Republic emerge from a fear of a powerful presence of the country in the region, he said, adding that it is a coordinated act which may be supported by a government.
"We expect the Pakistani government to resolve the problem as soon as possible. We have been in talks with senior Pakistani officials, including the prime minister and the foreign minister in this regard."
Five Iranian border guards were abducted in the Jakigour region in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province on Feb. 6 and taken to Pakistan.
Iranian officials held Pakistan accountable over the issue.
Jaish-ul-Adl, a Baluchi Islamist militant group has carried out a number of attacks against the state in recent years. The organisation released a short statement on Twitter Feb. 26 claiming its 'religious court' sentenced the five Iranian soldiers to death after reports that Iran executed one of the relatives of the group's members.
Iranian Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Ali Amiri saidon March 25 that no reliable sources have confirmed any martyrdom of the Iranian kidnapped border guards in Pakistan, IRNA reported.
Amiri stressed that no reliable sources have confirmed claim of the terrorist group called Jeysholadl on the killing of one of the five Iranian border guards.
He added if the media report in this matter were true, it would undoubtedly influence diplomatic talks between Iran and Pakistan because the hostages were in Pakistan territory.
Amiri underlined that Iran is waiting for a Pakistani official stance concerning the fate of the Iranian border guards.
Edited by S.M.