On Wednesday, Iran’s top diplomat said that the previous day, in response to Islamabad’s claims that the strike had killed two children, his country’s military had hit an “Iranian terrorist group” in Pakistan.
During his remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian assured that “none of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones.”
“The so-called Jaish al-Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted,” according to him.
Late Tuesday, Tehran attacked what it referred to as “anti-Iranian terrorist groups” in Iraq and Syria, and this raid followed suit.
After the strike near their common border, Pakistan reprimanded Iran, removed its ambassador, and prevented Tehran’s representative from returning to Islamabad.
This unlawful deed is totally wrong and totally unjustified. Pakistan has the right to retaliate to this unlawful act, and Iran will bear the full weight of the repercussions, according to a brief statement by FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.
Also, the Iranian envoy to Pakistan, who is presently in Iran, will not be able to return to Islamabad, according to the spokesperson, and all high-level diplomatic engagements between Islamabad and Tehran will be suspended due to the invasion of Pakistani sovereignty.
The Iranian administration has received this message from us. Furthermore, we have informed them that the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan is currently visiting Iran and may not return for the time being, and that Pakistan has chosen to withdraw its envoy from Iran.
Nonetheless, Tehran chose this option despite the presence of channels of communication between the two countries, thus Tuesday’s strike came as a significant surprise.
Amir-Abdollahian met with Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar at the Davos Forum a few hours prior to the walkout.
In light of the recent fatal attacks on the Islamic republic, namely on the city of Rask in the province of Sistan-Baluchistan, Amir-Abdollahian stated that Iran launched an attack on “Pakistan’s soil” in retaliation.
Almost one month after a comparable incident in the region murdered eleven police officers, a policeman was slain in an assault on a city police station on January 10. The “Army of Justice,” or Jaish al-Adl, claimed responsibility for both assaults.
“The group has taken shelter in some parts of Pakistan’s Balochistan province,” said Amir-Abdollahian, noting that “we’ve talked with Pakistani officials several times on this matter” .
Iranian officials have stated that their country will not “permit the country’s national security to be compromised or played with,” notwithstanding their respect for Pakistan’s independence and territorial integrity.
