Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) says three of its soldiers have been killed and 16 Islamic State (IS) militants captured in clashes in southwestern Fars Province.
The IRGC’s Sepahnews website on January 27 quoted General Mohammad Pakpour, head of the IRGC land forces, as saying that "several" members of the extremist group were killed in fighting.
The general said at least two of the militants had fled but were surrounded by IRGC forces.
"The terrorists wanted to carry out attacks on border towns and in the center of the country," he said.
The website said the IS fighters had entered the country through Iran’s western border with Iraq.
The Sunni-led IS militant group has often clashed with Shi'ite Iran's security forces.
IS claimed responsibility for the deadly twin June 7 attacks on the Iranian parliament and the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic republic that left at least 17 dead.
Some 10 days later, the IRGC said it launched several missiles from Iran into eastern Syria targeting IS fighters in retaliation for the attacks.