An Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander voiced Iranian readiness on Tuesday for joint operations with Pakistan’s army to secure the release of its border guards who have been kidnapped on the country’s border with Pakistan a day earlier.

The IRGC Ground Force said on Tuesday that 14 of its troops and local Basij forces had been abducted at a border post southeast of Iran on Monday evening.

IRGC Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said members of the so-called ‘Jaish-ul-Adl’ terrorist group infiltrated the country from the Pakistani side of the border and took hostage a number of local Basij forces, border guards and two IRGC members.

He said the terrorists took the Iranian forces to the Pakistani territory, Tasnim news agency reported.

Stressing that Pakistan should shoulder responsibility for (ensuring security in) its border areas, the commander lamented the fact that a large number of Iranian border posts have been attacked from inside Pakistan in the past six months.

“These terrorists have bases inside the Pakistanis territory and live there,” he deplored.

“The Islamic Republic is ready to carry out any joint operation with Pakistan’s army to arrest the outlaws and secure the release of the hostages and we will pursue this case until those abducted individuals safely return to their families,” he said.

Brigadier General Pakpour, who has been in the area since this morning, said contacts have already been made with the neighboring country’s army and border guards to seek guarantees that the outlaws will be handed over to Iran and the abductees will remain safe.

Source: Iranian media