TEHRAN- Chief of Iran’s Border Guard Qassem Rezaei, in a press conference on Monday, called on the relevant Pakistani bodies to arrest and hand over those who were involved in killing two Iranian soldiers in the southeastern part of Iran.

“We have managed good relations with Pakistan. Some Pakistani units have also been deployed in border region, but we are witnessing terrorist operations (in the region),” Rezaei told reporters in Sanandaj in western Iran.  

“In addition to providing security for the elections in the recent days, our guards countered terrorist attacks at the borders. Our guards inflicted casualties on the terrorists and unfortunately two of our soldiers were killed too,” the commander added.

“According to our new investigations, the assailants had used new U.S-made weapons in their attack against our border guards,” Rezaei went on to say. 

The border guards were killed in clashes with members of a terror outfit in the border province of Sistan-Balouchestan.

According to police, the border guards noticed several terrorists who had advanced towards Iran seeking to attack border units on Friday night.

The police said the border guards immediately countered the terrorists’ heavy fire and made them flee to the neighboring country.

The counterattack caused fatalities among members of the terrorist outfit.

Sergeant Major Ahmad Rahmani-Fard and Private Ahmad Tavakoli were killed in the clashes.

Elsewhere in the press conference, Rezaei pointed to carrying goods from borders with neighboring countries by regional porters and said, “A porter who is piggybacking goods via legal paths is supported by our forces, but, the one who moves along valleys (illegal routes) has committed a crime; if he carries a weapon he has committed another crime; if he carries illegal goods he has committed another crime and will be considered as a smuggler.”

High level of joblessness has led to the dismal job market in Kurdistan province, forcing the citizens to resort to such hazardous jobs such as carrying heavy loads on their backs in mountainous regions.

In the Sardasht-Piranshahr region between 8 to 10 thousands households make their living by working as porters.

MJ/PA