Minister: Iran to Continue Pursuing Fate of 5th Abducted Border Guard

Tehran will continue pursuing the fate of the 5th Iranian border guard who was abducted by Jeish al-Adl terrorist group along with four of his comrades in February and has still been kept hostage despite the freedom of the other four, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on Thursday.
Tehran would by no means accept the death of the fifth kidnapped border guard, Jamshid Danayee-Far, and will increase diplomatic efforts to find him, Rahmani Fazli said.

The Iranian interior minister took the Pakistani government responsible for following up the case of the last kidnapped Iranian border guard.

He said any new report on Danayee-Far’s fate “will be immediately announced publicly”.

His remarks came amid reports and claims by Jeish al-Adl that the terrorist group has killed, Jamshid Danayee-Far, one of the Iranian border guards kidnapped along Iran-Pakistan borders in February.

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 claimed late last month that it has executed Danayee-Far.

The other four abducted Iranian border guards who were released and handed over to Iranian officials in neighboring Pakistan on Friday returned home on Sunday morning two months after their abduction but there is still no news about Danayee-Far or his body.

In relevant comments on Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani raised the possibility of the health of the fifth border guard, and called on the Pakistani officials to double efforts to release him.

Meantime, Governor-General of Iran’s Southeastern Sistan and Balouchestan province Ali Awsat Hashemi has confirmed the death Danayee-Far, and said Iran is waiting for the transfer of his body.

Last Thursday, Rahmani Fazli cautioned Islamabad to adopt a more responsible approach towards the safety of the five abducted Iranian border guards.

“Iran will draw on all of its capabilities along its borders with Pakistan if Islamabad does not adopt a responsible approach regarding the five Iranian border guards recently abducted by a Pakistan-based terrorist group,” Rahmani Fazli told reporters.

He reiterated that Iran will consider it as its right to use all its might to release the Iranian border guards.

The Iranian interior minister called on Pakistan to take more “measured and principled” action with respect to such issues and observe its legal obligations regarding its neighbors under international law.