In a message issued on Monday, President Rouhani expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families of the victims of the terrorist attack and said the martyrdom of the border guards caused “great sorrow” for the Iranian nation.

“I hereby express my condolences over the martyrdom of these loved ones, and urge intelligence and security authorities to identify and punish the perpetrators of this painful crime as soon as possible and through taking firm actions,” he noted.

In the armed clash that erupted in Chaldoran region in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan on Friday evening, terrorist elements killed eight Iranian military forces serving in the border post.

There has been a surge in the number of the counter-terrorism operations the security forces have launched along the border areas in recent months.

Last month, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps forces attacked a terrorist team in the same region –Chaldoran- killing all of the terrorists and confiscating their weapons.

The IRGC forces had seized weapons, communication equipment and ammunition from the terrorists in that operation.

The IRGC is tasked with protecting the country’s northwestern and southeastern borders.