Pakistan condemned the statements, stating that they were harming bilateral relations between the two bordering countries.

:: The Pakistani foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday over recent, threatening statements made by the head of the Iranian armed forces regarding striking Pakistan to confront militants, local media reported.

“We cannot accept the continuation of this situation,” Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the head of the Iranian armed forces was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

“We expect the Pakistani officials to control the borders, arrest the terrorists and shut down their bases.”

“If the terrorist attacks continue, we will hit their safe havens and cells, wherever they are,” he said.

Pakistan condemned the statements, stating that they were harming bilateral relations between the two bordering countries. The foreign ministry added that Iranian authorities must abstain from making such negative comments.

Ten Iranian border guards were killed by militants last month. Iran said Jaish al Adl, a militant group, had shot the guards with long-range guns, fired from inside Pakistan.

The border area has long been plagued by unrest from both drug smuggling gangs and separatist militants.