Commander Underlines Full Security at Iran’s Eastern Borders

(FNA)- A senior Iranian commander announced on Sunday that the country's Eastern borders enjoy full security, adding that new optical equipment and tools have been supplied to the border guards to improve their surveillance operations.

"The country's Eastern borders are currently in the best security conditions despite the few moves made by the outlaws and enemies," Sistan and Balouchestan Law Enforcement Chief Brigadier General Hossein Rahimi told FNA.

He noted that the police's border guard units have been equipped with the state-of-the-art optical and electronic equipment to monitor the smallest moves made along the borders and prevent the terrorists' from sneaking into the country.

Earlier this month, General Ahmadi Moqaddam announced that the country's borders will be fully sealed in 2015 to make any penetration of terrorists and drug traffickers impossible.

"Sealing border roads and deployment of border (guards) units in the remaining parts will be completed this year and if the parliament approves a good budget, the job will be accomplished in one year," Ahmadi Moqaddam told reporters in the Central city of Arak.

Also earlier this month, Iran's Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari underscored that close coordination and cooperation among the law enforcement, military, volunteer, and intelligence forces has resulted in turning Iran into one of the safest countries in the region.

Ashtari said that his forces, in a close cooperation with the volunteer forces (Basij), the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), the Army, and the intelligence bodies, "are determined to maintain" and even boost the country's security.

Last month, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli assured the country's people of full security along the borders as well as the preparedness of border guards to have tough confrontation with terrorist groups in the region.

On October 19, Lieutenant Commander of Basij Forces Brigadier General Ali Fazli underlined that Iran enjoys the highest level of border security than ever.

"All borders of Iran enjoy the maximum level of security and we don’t observe the slightest level of insecurity at the Western and Northwestern borders and along the country's coasts," Fazli said, addressing a ceremony in the Northern city of Babol.

"This level of security is indebted to the solidarity and integrity between the army and the IRGC but we should never neglect the enemy's deception and devilish moves," he added.

Fazli stressed that the Iranian borders are now at their most secure situation compared with what existed all throughout the history.

Last month, General Ahmadi Moqaddam reiterated Tehran's tight control over the country's borders, saying the armed forces are keeping a watchful eye on every suspicious move along the borderline.

"We don’t have any problem at the borders; yet terrorists are always seeking to come to the borders to smuggle drugs and explosives. But today the IRGC and the Law Enforcement Police are making strenuous efforts in Saravan region (in the Southeastern Sistan and Balouchestan province) to further improve people's security," Ahmadi Moqaddam said in press conference in the Northeastern city of Mashhad.

On February 6, Jaish al-Adl terrorists kidnapped five Iranian border guards in Jakigour region in Sistan and Balouchestan and took them to the Pakistani territory.

In a message on April 6, Iran’s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said efforts by security and diplomatic bodies as well as locals had borne fruit and four of the abductees were freed and reunited with their families.

On October 25, 2013, Jaish al-Adl terrorist group killed 14 Iranian border guards and wounded six others in the border region near the city of Saravan in Sistan and Balouchestan Province.

In February 2013, Iran and Pakistan signed a security agreement under which both countries are required to cooperate in preventing and combating organized crime, fighting terrorism and countering the activities that pose a threat to the national security of either country.

Iran has repeatedly called on Pakistan to comply with the terms of the agreement.

Iran spends billions of dollars and has lost thousands of its police troops in the war against traffickers and terrorists. The crackdown has cost Iran more than 700 million dollars over the past two years. Last year, Iran allocated millions to strengthen border security and block the entry of terrorists and drug traffickers into the country.

Strategies pursued by Tehran include digging canals, building barriers and installing barbed wire to seal its borders.