Iran Criticizes Pakistan for 'Presence and Operations of Malefactors' on Its Soil

In response to the death of ten Iranian border guards in Sistan and Baluchestan province, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on the Pakistani government to be accountable regarding what he termed the 'presence and operations of malicious groups' within its territory. According to the official Islamic Republic News Agency, Bahram Qasemi stated on Thursday, April 26, that 'the execution of provocative and terrorist operations by armed malefactors and groups known to promote violence, extremism, and takfir from the borders of Iran and Pakistan is condemned and unacceptable.' He emphasized that the Pakistani government must explain the 'presence and operations of these malicious groups' on its soil. Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi, the police spokesperson, also stated that 'the responsibility for such incidents undoubtedly lies with the Pakistani government.' The border guards at 'Mile 100' post from the Chahando battalion (Mirjaveh border regiment) were attacked by armed individuals on Wednesday, resulting in the death of ten border guards. Meanwhile, Ali Mohammadi Rad, the prosecutor of Zahedan, reported on Thursday that during this attack, three official agents and eight soldiers were attacked while changing shifts 'with a Greenfield machine gun,' leading to ten fatalities. He noted that the attackers then fled to 'Pakistani territory.' In recent years, Iranian military and security officials have criticized Pakistan for what they call 'negligence' in securing the shared borders. Hassan Rouhani, the President, emphasized during a visit to Pakistan in April 2016 that a security agreement previously signed between the two countries 'must be operationalized' to enhance Iran's border security in Sistan and Baluchestan. The Pakistani Prime Minister also mentioned during a visit to Tehran in 2015 that his country was 'determined' to cooperate with Iran against the Jaish al-Adl group, an armed opposition group to the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated on Thursday: 'It is necessary for countries participating in anti-terrorism coalitions to answer how they are unable to confront groups and armed terrorist malefactors on their soil?' He declared that the Islamic Republic reserves the right to defend itself 'through all diplomatic and political channels to repel malefaction.' Previously, several high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic, including Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, had accused Saudi Arabia of attempting to create insecurity in eastern and western Iran and of 'sending weapons' and supporting 'terrorist groups' in the region. In this context, Mohsen Rezaei, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran, accused Saudi Arabia in late July 2016 of establishing 'a base in Pakistani Baluchistan' and 'a base' in the Kurdistan region of Iraq to 'destabilize' Iran. Sistan and Baluchestan province in southeastern Iran has repeatedly been the site of confrontations between the Islamic Republic's military and law enforcement forces and armed groups that Iranian officials refer to as 'terrorists,' 'smugglers,' and 'malefactors.' The last reported clash in the border area of Sistan and Baluchestan occurred on January 7 of last year, in which, according to Iranian media, one border guard was killed and three others were injured.