Skip to main content

Zarif defends handling of kidnapped guards via Facebook

Iran's foreign minister has defended the administration against growing criticism of not doing enough to secure the release of the five border guards kidnapped in February, one of which has been killed.
zariffb.JPG

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif defended the efforts of the administration of President Hassan Rouhani to secure the release of the kidnapped border guards against mounting criticism from conservatives who want the administration take more swift action against terrorists operating on the Iran-Pakistan border.

“Like many of you, the condition of the Iranian hostages has been mine and my colleagues’ biggest concern,” Zarif wrote on Facebook this morning, speaking of the five border guards kidnapped by the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl in February. One of them, Jamshid Danaeifar, who had a ten-day-old son, was killed last week by the group believed to be inside Pakistan.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.