ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Mashhad for a brief stop-over on Sunday amid border security concerns that have heightened after Thursday’s deadly attack by Iran-based militants that killed 14 people including personnel of Pakistan’s armed forces in southwestern Balochistan.

Khan is undertaking his first visit to Iran since assuming his country’s top political office last October on the invitation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. After spending some time in Mashhad, he will proceed to Tehran and stay there till April 22.

The prime minister was received by Governor General Khorasan-e-Razavi province Ali Reza Razm Hussaini upon his arrival to the Mashhad airport. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Riffat Masood, officials of the Embassy of Pakistan in Tehran and Pakistan Consulate in Mashhad were also present at the airport.

The Prime Minister is accompanied by a “high-level delegation” including ministers of finance and human rights and will also meet members of the Iranian and Pakistani business community in Iran, the foreign office said earlier.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters on Saturday that “terrorist outfits” responsible for Thursday’s attack had entered Pakistan from Iran, and expressed hope that Iran would take action against these groups.

On Friday, Iranian foreign minister Javed Zarif said in a Twitter post that he strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pakistan, just as Prime Minister Khan “embarks on his first, historic visit to Iran.”

“Terrorists, extremists & their sponsors are terrified by close relations between Muslim states. Iran stands with the people & govt. of Pakistan,” he tweeted.