TEHRAN: Iranian parliament approved on Sunday the Tehran-Islamabad enhanced security cooperation act.

According to Iranian news agency Irna, the bill is intended to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in combating terrorist groups operating in border areas.

Terrorist groups have carried out several attacks on Iranian border guards deployed along the border between Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province and Pakistan since 2004.

The capture of Iranian border guards earlier this month, along with the killing of 14 Iranian soldiers last November, was claimed by the terrorist group Jaish al-Adl.

The Iranian parliament approved general terms of the bill with 187 votes in favour, 14 against and six abstentions.

It had earlier been adopted by the Iranian cabinet and submitted to parliament on March 31 last year.

The bill contains working methods, costs and other issues.

Pakistan and Iran signed the accord in February last year to take stringent measures to combat terrorism and human and drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, four Iranian soldiers abducted by rebels returned home after being held for two months.

Four of the abducted border guards had returned home, the Iranian intelligence ministry said in a statement.

It did not address the fate of Jamshid Danayifar, a fifth soldier abducted along with the other guards on Feb 6.

The Jaish al-Adl group said Danayifar had been slain in late March.

PAKISTAN NAVY VESSELS: Pakistani naval vessels have arrived at the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas for a naval manoeuvre.

Irna quoted Rear Admiral Shahram Irani as saying the fleet would have presence in the manoeuvre beginning on Tuesday east of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

Pakistani vessels which reached Iranian waters include a warship, a submarine and a logistics vessel.

The fleet will leave after four days. In the past, regional countries have attended similar Iranian manoeuvres as observers.

“The most important activity of the Pakistani fleet during its stay in Bandar Abbas is to launch joint manoeuvres with selected units of Iran’s navy in eastern waters of the Hormuz Strait,” Admiral Irani said.

The joint exercises were aimed at promoting military cooperation between Pakistan and Iran, the news agency said.--Agencies