Iran has again warned the Taleban authorities in neighbouring Afghanistan to arrest and punish the killers of nine Iranian diplomats and a journalist -- or to face the consequences.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman ,Hammid-Reza Asefi, said that the firm stance of his government had forced the Taleban to return the bodies of the men who were killed in the north of the country in August, and that now their killers must be brought to justice.

The Taleban say the diplomats were helping the Taleban's opponents.

The Iranian spokesman also demanded that the Taleban heed calls by the United Nations for the establishment of a broad-based government in Afghanistan.

Iran has large numbers of troops near the Afghan border.