Masked gunmen on Friday shot dead 25 people, including 20 Iranians, working on a pipeline near the village of Balad Ruz, some 80 kilometers northeast of Baghdad.

Hassan Danayifar said on Saturday that Iranian officials have been pursuing the issue since the attack occurred, adding that Iran’s diplomatic mission is awaiting the findings of an investigation by Iraqi officials, Press TV reported.

Danayifar, who was visiting the site of the attack alongside a group of top Iraqi military commanders, expressed hope that bringing to justice those responsible for the attack would prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.

The Iranian diplomat also urged Iraqi military officials to provide special security for the Iranians working on the pipeline in Iraq.

The pipeline is planned to connect Iraq’s gas network to energy reserves in the western Iranian city of Naft Shahr.

Commander of Iraq’s Ground Forces Lieutenant General Ali Ghaidan, who was accompanying Danayifar, said the issue would be investigated, adding that a new protection mechanism has been planned and the Iraqi Army would shoulder the responsibility of providing security for the Iranian workers.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack and said an investigation had been launched to determine the full circumstances of the terrorist act.

Danayifar said earlier on Saturday that the attack was aimed at disrupting the public services and effective development projects whose timely implementation would prove the efficiency of the Iraqi government.

HH/HH