A Military Commander Announced 'Operation by the Pakistani Army' to Free Iranian Border Guards

One day after the release of a video showing five Iranian border guards contacting their families, the commander of Iran's border police announced that the Pakistani army has informed Iranian officials that it has 'initiated an operation' to free the kidnapped border guards. According to Tasnim News Agency, Qassem Rezaei stated on Sunday, March 17, that 'based on the latest follow-ups, the border guards are alive and in Pakistani territory.' Mr. Rezaei added, 'Based on the latest discussions and negotiations, the Pakistani army has announced that it has begun an operation regarding the release of the kidnapped border guards.' He did not provide further details about this 'operation' by the Pakistani army. The Iranian President had threatened on March 9 during a phone call with the Prime Minister of Pakistan that the continued activities of armed groups opposed to the Islamic Republic within Pakistani territory 'could affect the relations between the two countries.' The group 'Jaish al-Adl' announced in late October that it had attacked a security post in the Mirjaveh district and taken 12 Iranian border guards 'hostage.' Subsequently, five of these border guards were released and returned to Iran. Meanwhile, 'Jaish al-Adl' announced on Saturday that after the release of these five individuals, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) 'has not been willing to discuss or negotiate' regarding these individuals. In response to this report, Hossein Zolfaqari, the Deputy Minister of Interior for Security, stated on Sunday that this group 'is seeking more concessions and wants the release of its members in Iran, which is not feasible.' Previously, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, had stated that 'Jaish al-Adl' is seeking the release of several of its imprisoned members in exchange for the release of the border guards, but the Islamic Republic 'has not accepted' and 'it is not right to yield to this demand.' The group 'Jaish al-Adl' also released a video of the phone call between the five Iranian border guards and their families. Before this, it was reported that with the five released border guards accounted for, seven border guards remain hostages of 'Jaish al-Adl.' After the abduction of these 12 border guards, the Quds Force of the IRGC officially announced that 'the treachery of infiltrating agents' was the cause of this incident but did not provide further details about these individuals. On February 13, following a suicide attack on a bus carrying IRGC members on the road from Khash to Zahedan, 27 IRGC members were killed, and 12 were injured. Iranian officials label the group 'Jaish al-Adl,' which claimed responsibility for this attack, as a 'terrorist' group. However, this group claims that its actions aim to defend the rights of Sunni people in Sistan and Baluchestan. In this context, Pakistan summoned the Iranian ambassador 'in protest against a border attack' and expressed ignorance about the location of the kidnapped Iranian border guards: 'They have been passed around.' A representative of Khamenei threatened regarding the IRGC bus explosion: 'For every martyr, we will kill 10 people.' Iranian Friday prayer leaders attacked Pakistan and the visit of the Saudi Crown Prince to this country. '13 people have been arrested in connection with the IRGC bus explosion.'