Iran’s exiled prince has blamed state "terrorism" for the killing of five border guards in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan on Saturday.

In a post on Twitter, Reza Pahlavi said: “I express my sincere sympathy with and condolences to the families of these murdered soldiers and strongly condemn this act of terrorism,” he added.

The border guards spotted a group of armed men near the border in Saravan, in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan. The five officers were killed in the ensuing confrontation with the “terrorist group” on Saturday night.

Two other guards were left seriously injured and are in a critical condition, it was also reported.

There is no information about the affiliation of the armed group, but several Baluch groups from the area are fighting an insurgency against the Islamic Republic.

The most prominent is Jaish al-Adl, which has often targeted Iran's military, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

In recent months, the situation in Sistan-Baluchistan has dramatically worsened. The area’s cities have become very tense, especially on Fridays, when residents come out to protest against the regime.