Iranian IRGC commanders arrive

Iran's top Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Commanders Major-General Mohammad Ali Jafari and Brigadier-General Mohammad Pakpour have arrived here to seek Pakistan's help in recovering the abducted 12 Iranian security personnel near the Pakistan-Iran border point of Mirjaveh, diplomatic sources said.
The sources said that the top Iranian IRGC commanders will hold talks today (Tuesday) with their Pakistani counterparts on the issue of kidnapped Iranian border security personnel, the responsibility for which was claimed by Jaish ul-Adl, a terrorist outfit.
On October 16, 2018, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif also telephoned Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to discuss the situation arising out of the abduction of Iranian guards.
According to Spokesperson Foreign Office Dr Mohammad Faisal, the foreign minister expressed his serious concern over the incident and also briefed his Iranian counterpart about the active efforts launched by the Pakistani law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to ascertain the whereabouts of missing Iranian guards, in coordination with the Iranian military and intelligence counterparts.
"It was noted that the two directors general (military operations) were in close contact through hotline to coordinate the search and rescue efforts including enhanced air surveillance and troops deployment in the border area where the incident took place," he said.
According to him, Qureshi said: "Such incidents are the handy work of our common enemies unhappy with the existing close, friendly relations between Pakistan and Iran."
Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment of not allowing anyone succeed in such malicious efforts, the spokesperson said that Qureshi noted that Pakistan and Iran have traditionally shared a 'border of peace and friendship' which would be maintained in the same spirit.
Thanking the foreign minister, Javad Zarif underscored Iran's desire to overcome all hurdles jointly with Pakistan in maintaining complete peace along the Pak-Iran border, he added.
On Friday last, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri also telephoned Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and urged him to intensify efforts for search and rescue of the kidnapped Iranian border security personnel.