Pakistan: UN Chief Calls for Punishing Terrorists behind Execution of Iranian Border Guard

farsnews.com

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed deep sorrow over the killing of an Iranian border guard by Jeish Al-Adl terrorist group, and called for more international efforts to bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice. "The secretary general condemns the killing of one of the five Iranian border guards who were abducted on 6 February in the country's Southeast border region by a militant group," Ban's spokesman said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

He added that the UN chief “expresses his solidarity” with the Iranian government and people, “who are confronted with this appalling act amid the annual Nowruz (the Persian New Year) celebrations held to commemorate in peace the start of a new year.” The UN secretary general sends his condolences to the family of the slain guard, the statement read.

Ban “calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” it added.

“He hopes for the success of the ongoing efforts by the government of Iran to achieve the release of those who remain captive,” the spokesman said. On Monday night, the Iranian Interior Ministry confirmed the reports that Jeish al-Adl terrorist group has killed one of the five Iranian border guards.

"The local officials (in Pakistan) have confirmed the report on the martyrdom of one of the abducted Iranian border guards by Jeish al-Adl terrorist group," Interior Ministry Spokesman Hossein Ali Amiri told FNA on Monday night.

He made the remarks after Jeish al-Adl claimed on its tweeter page that it has killed Jamshid Danayeefar, one of the kidnapped border guards.

The execution of the border guard came as an Iranian official said on Sunday that efforts and consultations with the Pakistani officials still continue to secure the release of the border guards.

"Talks with national and local Pakistani officials have been held at different levels and they have made some promises," Governor-General of Iran's Southeastern Sistan and Balouchestan province Ali Awsat Hashemi told FNA. He expressed the hope that the young border guards would be released to return to their families soon. The five Iranian border guards were abducted in Jakigour region of Iran’s Sistan and Balouchestan Province on February 6 and taken to Pakistan. Jeish al-Adl later claimed responsibility for their abduction. The terrorist group released a photo of the kidnapped border guards on its Tweeter page and claimed the responsibility for their abduction on February 8. Earlier reports had already revealed that the abducted soldiers had been transferred to Pakistan which has a long border with Iran in the Southeastern parts of the country. On February 11, Iran called on Pakistani officials to arrest and extradite the members of the terrorist Jeish al-Adl group. “Unfortunately, we are witnessing the abduction of 5 Iranian border guards by the terrorist groups,” Afkham said in her weekly press conference in Tehran at the time. Afkham elaborated on the measures taken by Iran in pursuit of the fate of the 5 border guards, and said Tehran's officials have paid visits to Pakistan, summoned Islamabad’s ambassador to Tehran to the foreign ministry and called for the country’s serious action to control the border regions. “We also want them to identify the abductors of the border guards and extradite them to the Iranian officials and we are ready to cooperate with Pakistan to establish security at the borders and fight outlawed and terrorist groups in Pakistan,” she underlined. On February 9, Iran’s Police Chief Brigadier General Esmayeel Ahmadi Moqaddam voiced concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Pakistan's territories, and underlined that Iran's police along with the Foreign Ministry are resolved to do their best to clear the fate of the five Iranian guards. Ahmadi Moqaddam criticized the performance of the Pakistani government and its border police in areas close to Iran. The Islamic Republic has asked Interpol to prosecute those behind the abduction. Meanwhile, Iranian and international activists have launched a campaign known as “Free Iranian Soldiers” on social media websites, calling for the release of the border guards. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for an investigation into the incident, tasking the Foreign Ministry with taking the necessary measures to implement a border security agreement with Pakistan. Iran has repeatedly called on Pakistan to comply with the terms of the agreement. On February 15, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli held Pakistan accountable for the kidnapping of the five Iranian border guards. On October 25, 2013, Jeish al-Adl killed 14 Iranian border guards and wounded six others in the border region near the city of Saravan in Sistan and Balouchestan. In February 2013, Iran and Pakistan signed a security agreement under which both countries are required to cooperate in preventing and combating organized crime, fighting terrorism and countering the activities that pose a threat to the national security of either country.