TEHRAN: Iranian border guards accused of killing a Pakistani civilian on the weekend "unintentionally" entered Pakistan in pursuit of drug traffickers, the commander of Iran's police border guard said Tuesday.
"Three Iranian border guards pursued the drug traffickers and unintentionally and due to darkness entered Pakistani territory and were arrested by Pakistani forces," Hossein Zolfaqari was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.
Two smugglers were killed in the incident and another was wounded, he said, without giving their nationalities.
He said 500 kilogrammes (1,100 pounds) of drugs were seized.
Zolfaqari denied any Pakistani civilian was killed in the incident.
Pakistani officials said they detained the three border guards on Sunday in Pakistani territory after they shot at a car, killing a Pakistani man and wounding his brother.
The incident occurred in the town of Mazan Sar Mashkail, the main town of insurgency-hit Baluchistan province, which borders Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province.
Zolfaqari said a delegation of Iranian border guards had spoken with Pakistani officials asking for the release of their colleagues and that more talks were scheduled.
He noted that the border is poorly marked.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast, asked about the incident, told reporters on Tuesday: "We do not have precise details. Usually such incidents do occur in the borders but it will be solved with discussion by both sides." (AFP)