Iran launched attack on border with Pakistan a day after Tehran fired missiles at Iraq and Syria,
Pakistan recalled its ambassador to Tehran and barred the Iranian ambassador to the country on Wednesday after Iran launched air strikes at targets on Pakistani territory.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokeswoman for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, announced that Islamabad was recalling its ambassador to Iran over the strikes.
“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,” she said in a televised address.
Ms Baloch added that Pakistan had asked the Iranian ambassador, who was visiting Tehran when the attack took place, not to return.
“This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences,” the Foreign Ministry said.
It said the strike “resulted in the death of two innocent children while injuring three girls”.
Iran says it targeted ‘Iranian terrorist group’
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that his country’s armed forces targeted an “Iranian terrorist group” in Pakistan.
“None of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones,” he said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“The so-called Jaish Al Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted,” he said.
Iran’s state-run Nour News agency said early on Wednesday the attack destroyed the Pakistan headquarters of Jaish Al Adl, a separatist militant group that has claimed attacks on Iranian security forces. MENA
Pakistan recalls ambassador to Iran and bars Tehran envoy after air strikes
Iran launched attack on border with Pakistan a day after Tehran fired missiles at Iraq and Syria
Pakistani security officials inspect the scene of a blast in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan province, Pakistan. EPA
Mina Aldroubi
Sinan Mahmoud
Muhammad Shahid
Jan 17, 2024
Listen In English
Listen in Arabic
Powered by automated translation
Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Pakistan recalled its ambassador to Tehran and barred the Iranian ambassador to the country on Wednesday after Iran launched air strikes at targets on Pakistani territory.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokeswoman for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, announced that Islamabad was recalling its ambassador to Iran over the strikes.
“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,” she said in a televised address.
Ms Baloch added that Pakistan had asked the Iranian ambassador, who was visiting Tehran when the attack took place, not to return.
“This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences,” the Foreign Ministry said.
It said the strike “resulted in the death of two innocent children while injuring three girls”.
Iran says it targeted ‘Iranian terrorist group’
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that his country’s armed forces targeted an “Iranian terrorist group” in Pakistan.
“None of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones,” he said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“The so-called Jaish Al Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted,” he said.
Iran’s state-run Nour News agency said early on Wednesday the attack destroyed the Pakistan headquarters of Jaish Al Adl, a separatist militant group that has claimed attacks on Iranian security forces.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said two of the group’s bases in Pakistan’s Balochistan province were “specifically targeted and successfully demolished by a combination of missile and drone attacks” late on Tuesday, without saying who was behind the attack.
IIran’s Tasnim news agency said two of the group’s bases in Pakistan’s Balochistan province were “specifically targeted and successfully demolished by a combination of missile and drone attacks” late on Tuesday, without saying who was behind the attack.
Jaish al Adl has previously launched attacks on Iranian security forces in the border area with Pakistan.
In December 2023, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi had said at least 11 Iranian police officers were killed in an attack on a police station in Rask, a town close to the border with Pakistan. That attack was claimed by Jaish al-Adl in a brief statement posted on its Telegram channel, AFP reported.
Earlier on July 23 last year, four Iranian policemen were killed while on patrol near the border in an attack claimed by the Jaish Al Adl.
Jaish al-Adl, or the “Army of Justice”, is a Sunni militant group founded in 2012 that largely operates in Pakistan. According to the Office of the US Director of National Intelligence, Jaish al-Adl is the “most active and influential” Sunni militant group operating in Sistan-Baluchistan.
He said the home’s owners had a business selling Iranian diesel.
“In border areas of Balochistan, local tickets are issued legally to the dealers, who cross the border into Iran and bring diesel for sale in local markets in Balochistan,” Mr Hameed said.
“The house is owned by three men, who are close relatives, who do the business of Iranian diesel and visit Iran from time to time. However, at the time of the attack, they were not at home and only children and women became the victims.”
Mr Hameed said he had not seen Jaish Al Adl militants in the area. But he said he had heard from locals about their movements.
“But the strike killed children and women, who were definitely innocent,” he said.
Meanwhile, Baghdad recalled its ambassador from Tehran on Tuesday over the missile strikes on the Iraqi Kurdish region on Monday, which Baghdad condemned as a “clear act of aggression”.
Four people were killed and six others wounded in the attack, said the Iraqi Kurdish region’s security council.
Baghdad challenged Tehran’s claim that the missiles were aimed at Israel’s intelligence services in response to recent Israeli assassinations of Iranian and pro-Iranian commanders.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani discussed the attack with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Davos on Tuesday, according to the White House.
“Mr Sullivan and Mr Al Sudani discussed the importance of stopping attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria, and committed to enhancing security co-operation as part of a long-term, sustainable defence partnership,” its said.
Iraq filed a complaint against Iran at the UN Security Council, its Foreign Ministry said.
In two separate letters to the UN Secretary General and UN Security Council, the ministry “stressed that this aggression is a flagrant violation to the sovereignty of Iraq, its security and the security of the people of Iraq”.
Mr Al Sudani’s National Security Adviser Qassim Al Araji, who is heading an investigation into the attack in Erbil, said Iran’s “claims of targeting a Mossad headquarters are baseless”.
Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdish region, said in Davos that there was “no reason for these attacks and there is no excuse”.
“These attacks should not remain without a response,” he said.
The strikes come during heightened tensions in the region and fears of a spill-over of the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
In an emergency session on Wednesday the Arab League discussed the Iranian strikes on Erbil and adopted a resolution to support Iraq, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Arab League presented and voted on a draft resolution for voting that condemns the Iranian aggression on Iraq and supports its rightful position in affirming respect for its sovereignty and security,” it added.