Ready to fight terrorism on Pakistan soil: Iran

The Iranian Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that the country's security forces are ready for anti-terror operations on Pakistani territory.

To guarantee the security of common borders, Tehran is prepared for counter-terrorism operations on Pakistani land under the supervision of the Pakistani forces, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The minister made the remarks in response to the abduction of 14 Iranian border guards by a Pakistan-based Iranian Sunni rebel group in October.

Iran has refrained from any operation against the terrorists on the other side of its border with Pakistan so far, the Iranian minister said.

"It is because we wanted to respect Pakistan's sovereignty."

Fazli said that Iran expected the Pakistani government to enhance security measures along the common borders.

A total of 14 Iranian border guards were kidnapped by the extremist group, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), in Mirjaveh border point in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Balochistan province on October 16 and were transferred to Pakistani territory.

On Thursday, five of the abducted border guards were freed in Pakistan.

--IANS

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