IRNA � Iran is pursuing the issue of the Iranian border guards who were kidnapped on Iran-Pakistan border by holding talks with leaders of regional tribes, Iranian border guards commander Brigadier General Qasem Rezaei said.

Fourteen Iranian Basij (volunteer forces) and border guard forces were abducted by terrorists in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan border with Pakistan on October 15. Five of them were later released through the efforts of the Pakistani government on November 15.

Speaking to IRNA, Rezaei said Iran's main objective was to ensure the release of the remaining guards who are still in the hands of the terrorist group.

Based on the latest information, the kidnapped border guards d are alive, he added.

Elaborating on Iran's border exchanges with neighboring countries, he said developing border diplomacy is one of the successful measures which has been pursued in line with improving border guard conditions.

Referring to good relations between the Iranina border guards forces and neighboring countries, Rezaei said increasing border diplomacy interactions has resulted in promoting operation readiness in some special border points.

According to the commander, Iranian border guard has held 10 meetings on border issues with neighbors like Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Qatar and Afghanistan since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2018).