Pakistan expels Iran’s ambassador and recalls its own from Iran
According to Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a diplomatic note of protest was sent to the government of Iran
Following Iran’s launch of a barrage of missiles on Pakistan, Islamabad on Wednesday expelled the Iranian ambassador and recalled its ambassador from Tehran.
Iran attacked the headquarters of a terrorist group opposed to Tehran with drones and missiles in Pakistan on late hours of Tuesday, Al Arabiya News reported.
The attacks in Pakistan were carried out a day after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missiles into Iraq’s Kurdistan region at what it called an Israeli “spy headquarters” and at alleged ISIS-linked targets in Syria, the report said.
Iranian forces struck two command posts of the Jaish al-Adl terrorist group in Pakistan. According to the report, the strikes were carried out with drones and missiles.
Earlier Overnight in January 10, Jaish al-Adl terrorists had attacked a checkpoint in southeastern Iran, killing a policeman. The group had previously claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks along the Iran-Pakistan border, as well as attacks on Iranian border guards.
Pakistan has decided to recall its ambassador from Tehran over the recent missile strikes by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on targets in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
“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,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said. “This illegal act is totally unacceptable and has no justification whatsoever. Pakistan reserves the right to respond to this illegal act. The responsibility for the consequences will fall solely on Iran.”
According to Baloch, a diplomatic note of protest was sent to the government of Iran.
“We have informed them that Pakistan has decided to withdraw its ambassador from Iran and that the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan, who is currently visiting Iran, may not return for the time being,” the spokeswoman said. “We have also decided to suspend all high-level visits which were ongoing or were planned between Pakistan and Iran in the near future.”
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is “completely unacceptable” and warned of serious consequences. It further said that Iran has taken this action despite the existence of several channels of communication between the two nations.
“Pakistan reserves the right to respond to this illegal act and the responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran,” Baloch said, adding that Islamabad had conveyed the message to the Iranian government.” The foriegn ministry spokesperson said.
Formed in 2012, Jaish al-Adl, designated as a “terrorist” organisation by Iran, is a Sunni terrorist group that operates in Iran’s south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, Al Arabiya News reported.
Over the years, Jaish al-Adl has launched numerous attacks on Iranian security forces. In December, Jaish al-Adl took responsibility for an attack on a police station in Sistan-Balochistan that claimed the lives of at least 11 police personnel, according to Al Arabiya News reported.
Sistan-Balochistan borders Afghanistan and Pakistan. The region has a history of clashes between Iran’s security forces and Sunni terrorists, as well as drug smugglers, Al Arabiya News reported.
C news reported that last month, at least 11 Iranian police officers were killed in an attack overnight on a police station in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, while visiting the site, had urged Pakistan to prevent terrorist groups from establishing bases within its borders.
