TEHRAN Iranian border officers have handed over to Pakistani officials 77 Pakistani nationals while trying to enter Iranian territory.

According to Central News Bureau (CNB), the Pakistanis had entered Iran en route to Turkey, from where they were to be sent to Europe.

Meanwhile, Iran on Thursday threw down the gauntlet against illegal foreign nationals who are said to be the main cause behind the high rate of unemployment, which officially stands at 15 percent.

Director General of Foreign Nationals Employment Department in the Interior Ministry, Shakour Ebrahimi, told IRNA that the borders should be fenced in order to prevent the flow of foreign national to the country.

He warned those employing illegal immigrants that they would be brought to justice.

He said that 1.2 million foreign nationals work illegally in Iran, mostly from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Iraq. Some 1.4 million Afghans still remain in Iran, half of them illegal residents, according to official government reports.

An Iranian government official said recently that about 500 Afghans daily jump the border to Iran through Sistan-Baluchestan Province.

Iran and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reached an agreement in February for the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees.

To be implemented in April, the agreement between the UNHCR and Iran provides that about 100,000 refugees are to return to Afghanistan over a period of six months.

Iran is a transit route to European countries for drug smugglers and stowaways. Iran hosts more than two million Afghan and Iraqi immigrants.

Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized the role of the country for the security of Western countries.