At least nine Pakistani labourers were gunned down in southeastern Iran near the Pakistan border on Saturday, the ambassador said.

Calling the attack a “terrorist incident”, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it was in touch with Iranian authorities and had asked Tehran to investigate the incident. Pakistan has blamed the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front for the incident.

“It is a horrifying and despicable incident and we condemn it unequivocally,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said following the news.

Sources said that all of the victims hailed from Muzzafargarh and Lodhran in Punjab. The killed men have been identified as Azhar Hussain, Muhammad Asif, Ghulam Shabbir and Sohail.

Reports said that five of the injured men belong to Khairpur Saadat, Tibbi Arain and Fatehpur in Alipur.

The reports added that two brothers from Alipur were targeted in the incident, one of whom has passed away.

“According to witnesses, this morning unknown armed men killed nine non-Iranians in a house in the Sirkan neighbourhood of Saravan city” in Sistan-Baluchistan province, the Mehr news agency reported.

Locals alleged that the victims had been residing in Iran’s Baluchistan for several years.

Read: Iran responds to Pakistani strikes with unusual statement

“We are in touch with Iranian authorities and have underscored the need to immediately investigate the incident and hold to account those involved in this heinous crime.”

Meanwhile, the Iranian police have moved the bodies to the hospital and initiated investigations.

So far, no group or individuals have claimed responsibility.

Some people were also reported to be injured in the shootings that claimed the lives of nine Pakistan labourers, anchorperson Shaukat Piracha said in a live transmission of Aaj News.

Moreover, the spokesperson added that the consul in Zahedan would reach the hospital in a few hours due to long distances and security imperatives involved. He would also meet local authorities, and among other things, impress upon them the “urgent need for strong action against the perpetrators of this crime.”

“We are fully seized of this grave matter and are taking all neccessary measures in this regard. The embassy will do its best to repatriate dead bodies at the earliest. Such cowardly attacks cannot deter Pakistan from its determination to fight terrorism,” it said.

Pakistan’s ambassador urges Iran to extend full cooperation

“Deeply shocked by horrifying killing of 9 Pakistanis in Saravan,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Mudassir Tipu said in a post on X. “Embassy will extend full support to bereaved families.”

“We called upon Iran to extend full cooperation in the matter,” he added.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Mudasir Tipu said that he spoke to two of the injured nationals while the third one was sleeping.

“By Allah’s grace all three are stable & being well treated in hospital. I conveyed best wishes of our leadership & it’s full support for their recovery. Pakistan stands firmly behind them,” he said.

Iran-Pakistan flare-up

The incident came days after Pakistan and Iran carried out strikes inside each other territories.

Iran on January 17 fired several missiles into Pakistan that that killed two children. Soon after the violation of the airspace, Pakistan expelled Iran’s ambassador in Pakistan and recalled Pakistan’s ambassador.

A day later, Pakistani forces carried out ‘highly coordinated’ strikes against terrorist camps inside Iranian territory.

“This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran,” the MoFA said in a statement on Jan 18.

However, the governments of both countries later decided to work together in the future and enhance bilateral relations.

The ambassadors of Pakistan and Iran returned to embassies a day earlier following an understanding between the two countries, foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.

“As per understanding between the two countries, Ambassador of Pakistan Muhammad Muddasir Tipu arrived in Tehran today while the Iranian Ambassador of Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam arrived in Islamabad,” she said in a post on X.

Terrorists’ moves triggered military action: Ambassador Moghadam

“Terrorists see their existence in wreaking havoc in relations between friendly and neighbouring states. So, their recent moves triggered military action against these anti-security groups,” Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said in an interview with Islamic Republic News Agency. It was published on its website on Saturday.

He added that the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi attached “great importance” to the consolidation of ties with neighbouring countries.

Pakistan has a special position for Iran because of commonalities the two countries have when it comes to bilateral and international issues, Moghadam said.

“An upcoming visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to Pakistan is part of routine meetings between the authorities of the brotherly nations,” he added.

The Iranian FM is going to visit Pakistan on Monday.

This is a developing story. Sometimes verification of facts and details may take time or led to error. But we will try to report after having confirmation from our reporting staff.