Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has said that four of a group of Iranian guards, abducted by terrorists near the country's border with Pakistan, were released on Wednesday.

Qassemi thanked the Pakistani government for its efforts to facilitate the release of the guards, expressing hope that the others to be released soon.

Twelve Iranian border guards were kidnapped on October 16 by the so-called Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group at the Mirjaveh border point in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province and were transferred to Pakistan.

Over the past years, Iranian security forces and border guards have engaged in several clashes with terror groups, many of whom tried to enter the country from Pakistan and Iraq to carry out attacks.

In February, a bus carrying border guards of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) hit a roadside bomb in southeastern Iran.

The attack left 27 IRGC members dead and 13 others wounded, with the so-called Jaish ul-Adl group claiming responsibility.

Five of the guards were released in November.