Iran takes up with Pakistan killing of 10 border guards

Iran's Foreign Minister arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for talks after a terrorist attack near the Pakistan-Iran border in which 10 Iranian border guards were killed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on arrival here.

Putting a balm to soothe the ruffled Iranian sentiments over the border incident, Nisar Ali Khan, according to Radio Pakistan, assured the Iranian Minister that Pakistan would "not let anything stand in the way of good relations with Iran".

Ten border guards of Mirjaveh county in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province were killed in an ambush by terrorists along the Pakistani border's zero-point last week.

After the attack, the Iranian police said the guards were killed by long-range guns and "the Pakistani government bears the ultimate responsibility of the attack".

Iran-based militant group Jaish-al-Adl, (the Army of Justice), had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Zarif had earlier said that Tehran would "spare no effort in following up the case through diplomatic channels and punishing terrorist thugs".

During Wednesday's meeting, the two ministers agreed to cooperate with each other for effective border management and to curb drug trafficking and illegal cross border movement through intelligence-sharing.

--IANS

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