Tensions Rise: Eight Pakistanis Killed in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan

Eight Pakistani nationals have been killed in southeastern Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province. The Pakistani government is working with Iranian authorities to identify the victims and investigate the incident. The region is known for its militant activity, with cross-border tensions between Iran and Pakistan escalating recently.

Eight Pakistani nationals were reported killed in Iran's southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, the Pakistani government announced on Sunday. The victims, whose identities remain undisclosed, were located in Mehrestan County, a region sharing its border with Pakistan.

The Pakistani Embassy in Tehran and Consulate in Zahidan are actively collaborating with Iranian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the deaths and arrange for the repatriation of the victims' remains. The government stated that further information regarding the circumstances of the killings will be disclosed once available.

The incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions. Last year, Iran claimed to have targeted militants from the Jaish al Adl group within Pakistan, while Pakistan struck separatist Baloch groups in Iranian territory. Both Sistan-Baluchestan and Pakistan's Balochistan province are notoriously restive, rich in minerals, yet underdeveloped.

(With inputs from agencies.)