TEHRAN - The Islamic republic hanged 16 "terrorist elements" on Saturday in response to an earlier bloody border attack, a judiciary official was quoted as saying by semi-official ISNA news agency. ?

Mohammad Marzieh, General Prosecutor of Zahedan city, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, told ISNA that the "terrorist elements" were hanged on Saturday morning in response to the border attack on Friday night which resulted in the deaths of a number of Iranian border guards.

"We had already warned of serious response to any terrorist movement in the province," Marzieh was quoted as saying.

"For sure, last night's terrorist attack in Saravan was carried out by those who serve the foreigners' interests," he added.

In the clash in a mountainous area near Saravan city bordering Pakistan, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, on Friday evening 17 Iranian border guards were killed, five injured and four were taken hostages, local media reported on Saturday.

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