Iran summons Pakistani chargé d'affaires over deadly border attack

Iran has summoned the Pakistani chargé d'affaires in the capital Tehran in protest at an attack on the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

The Pakistani diplomat was summoned to the ministry on January 18 in the absence of the country's ambassador to Tehran for an explanation regarding several explosions in different areas around the city of Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan province, close to the border with Pakistan earlier in the day, Press TV reports.

Deputy governor of the province Alireza Marhamati said seven non-Iranian nationals, including three women and four children, were killed in the attack.

He added that Iranian security officials are investigating the issue.

Meanwhile, an informed source strongly condemned the attack and said Iran has demanded Pakistan's "immediate explanation" about the attack.

In a press release on Thursday, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry confirmed that the country undertook "a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts" in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province.