Iran Attack in Pakistan: At a time when regional conflict is on the rise, Tehran and its nuclear-armed neighbour faced a diplomatic crisis as a result of Iran’s strike.
The foreign ministry of Pakistan described the strike as a “illegal and unacceptable act” after Iran used drones and missiles to target two bases used by Jaish al-Adl militants in the Balochistan province. This led to a diplomatic crisis between Tehran and its nuclear-armed neighbour at a time when regional conflict was on the rise.
Amid tensions created by the Middle East conflict between Israel and Hamas, Pakistan became the second neighbour of Iran to report an attack on its territory in a single day. Pakistan’s foreign ministry stated that the country reserves the right to respond. Iraq had earlier denounced a lethal missile assault carried out by Iran in retribution for the death of an Iranian commander in Syria, which targeted an Israeli spy camp in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Additionally, Pakistan withdrew its ambassador from Iran and prevented the envoy from Tehran from coming back to Islamabad.
“Last night’s unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran is a violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,” the ministry of foreign affairs stated.
In protest of the “unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran and the strike inside Pakistani territory” that left two children dead and three others injured, Pakistan’s minister of foreign affairs called the Iranian charge d’affaires. Iran has full responsibility for the ensuing fallout. Such unilateral actions can gravely damage bilateral trust and confidence and are not consistent with good neighbourly relations, the statement stated.
“We have to seek talks to eliminate the root causes of the issue, whether ungoverned spaces in Iran which are used against Pakistan or ungoverned spaces in Pakistan which may be used by terrorists against Iran,” stated Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the chairman of the defence committee of the Pakistani Senate.
How did Iran respond to the strikes?
Iran said that the insurgent organisation Jaish al-Adl, which has expanded over Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan and aspires to an independent Balochistan, was targeting bases with its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Six drones and rockets carrying bombs targeted houses where the gang claimed to have their family.
“We urge the two sides to exercise restraint, avoid any actions that escalate the tensions, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region,” China said in response to the escalation of hostilities.