TEHRAN ( IRNA )- Spokesman for the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC)Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif categorically dismissed some news thatIran held talks with terrorists to secure release of the four abductedIranian border guards.
He told IRNA that it was the Pakistani government that negotiated with theterrorist groups on release of abducted Iranian border guards, stressingthat Iran was not involved in the talks.
He underlined that the IRGC Ground Force and the Armed Forces General StaffCommand have made special efforts through Pakistani Army for release of theabducted border guards.
‘The Iranian intelligence and security bodies as well as Iran’s diplomatsfollowed the issue through Pakistan’s intelligence organizations andforeign ministry,’ the IRGC spokesman added.
General Sharif underlined that terrorists had illogical and unrealisticdemands, but when we were getting close to their hideouts, we had to makecoordinations to secure the release of first one border guard and then fourothers.
He noted that the efforts are still underway for releasing two remainingborder guards who are still in custody.
‘The IRGC has sent an airplane to Pakistan to bring back the four borderguards who have just been released by Pakistan from the custody ofterrorists,’ the IRGC spokesman added.
According to a Pakistani military statement on Thursday, Pakistan hashanded over four other Iranian border guards who were kidnapped byterrorists to Iranian authorities.
According to statement of Pakistan army’s media wing Inter-Services PublicRelations (ISPR), the forces conducted successful operation at Amori indistrict Chaghai, Balochistan about 3-4 kilometers from Pak-Afghan borderand recovered the abducted Iranian soldiers from captivity of terrorists.
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“Terrorists of proscribed organization were reported to have enteredPakistan from Afghanistan side along with abducted Iranian soldiers,” itsaid.
The statement added that after exchange of fire four Iranian soldiersrecovered from a transitioning hideout. “Iranian soldiers being handed overto Iranian authorities,” it said.
Jaish al-Adl, a terrorist group operating in the region, had claimedresponsibility for the kidnapping.
Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi has alsoconfirmed release of the four border guards. He expressed hope for promptrelease of the remaining border guards.
Fourteen Iranian Basij (volunteer forces) and border guard forces wereabducted by terrorists in Mirjaveh border point with Pakistan inSistan-Baluchestan Province on October 15 last year.
However, five of the guards were then freed on November 15.
