Iran condemns attack on Pakistan Shia pilgrims

Iran's Foreign Ministry has condemned the recent deadly terrorist attack against Shia pilgrims in the northwestern Pakistani town of Taftan.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the terrorist action against innocent people of any ethnicity and religion and hopes for required steps to be adopted to prevent the repetition of such terrorist measures against defenseless people,” the ministry’s spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, said in a Monday statement.

On Sunday, unknown gunmen attacked a bus transporting Pakistani pilgrims returning from a visit to holy Islamic sites in Iran, killing at least 23 people and wounding seven others.

According to Pakistani officials, the bus had stopped at the border town when the attack happened. They added that some security personnel were among the casualties. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Pakistani troops have been fighting against pro-Taliban militants in recent months.

Numerous attacks have been carried out against Pakistani security forces and civilians by militants in the country. Militants have managed to spread their influence in various regions of Pakistan, despite sporadic offensives by the Pakistani army.

Thousands of Pakistanis have lost their lives in bombings and other militant attacks since 2001, when Pakistan entered an alliance with the United States on the so-called war on terror.

Thousands more have been displaced by the wave of violence and militancy sweeping across the country.

The administration of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reached a ceasefire agreement with Tehreek-e-Taliban militants on March 1, only to be broken one month later.