The victims hailed from districts including Multan, Muzaffaragarh, and Bahawalpur.

Pakistanis Killed In Iran: Everything is not good between Iran and Pakistan since the cross-border military strikes by Iran inside Pakistan on 16 January and the retaliatory strike by Pakistan inside Iran on 18 January.

Now, in the latest development, at least nine Pakistani nationals were killed while three others were critically injured in an attack on a vehicle repair shop in the Sirkan area of Saravan City in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan Province, reported an Iranian news outlet citing Iranian and Pakistani officials as well as local media.

The victims hailed from districts including Multan, Muzaffaragarh, and Bahawalpur, according to initial reports, The Qorasan Diary reported.

The armed assailants responsible for the attack remain unidentified, Express Tribune reported.

Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran confirmed the incident and urged Iran to extend full cooperation in the matter.

Muhammad Mudassir Tipu posted a statement on his social media handle expressing deep shock over the killings and assured that the Embassy would provide support to the bereaved families.

Tipu also mentioned that a counselor from Zahidan is en route to the incident site and the hospital where the injured are receiving treatment.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement protesting the incident.

“According to witnesses, this morning unknown armed men killed nine non-Iranians in a house in the Sirkan neighbourhood of Saravan city” in Sistan-Baluchistan province, the Mehr news agency reported.

It further said that no group or individuals had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Spokesperson of Pakistan’s foreign ministry Mumtaz Zahra Baloch issued a statement condemning the incident in Iran.

“It is a horrifying and despicable incident and we condemn it unequivocally. We are in touch with Iranian authorities and have underscored the need to immediately investigate the incident and hold to account those involved in this heinous crime. Moreover, our Consul in Zahedan is on way to the hospital where injured people are being treated and will reach there in a few hours due to long distances and security imperatives involved. He will also meet local authorities, and among other things, impress upon them the urgent need for strong action against the perpetrators of this crime. We are fully seized of this grave matter and are taking all necessary measures in this regard. The embassy will do its best to repatriate dead bodies at the earliest,” she said.

The Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran shares a border with Pakistan’s Baluchistan province and it is one of the few Sunni Muslim-dominated provinces in Shia-dominated Iran.

(With agency inputs)