Iran launches missiles at Jaish al Adl group, Pakistan ‘condemns unprovoked violation of its airspace’

Pakistan strongly condemned the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran and the strike inside Pakistani territory which Islamabad said resulted in death of two innocent children and injured three girls, a development that dramatically escalates regional tension between the two neighbours.

“This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement early Wednesday morning.

Islamabad’s reaction comes hours after it was reported that “two bases of Jaish al Adl in Pakistan were targeted by missiles on Tuesday”, according to Iranian state media, a day after Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards attacked targets in Iraq and Syria with missiles.

The strikes took place in the border town of Panjgur in Balochistan, according to reports.

Reuters added that the group has previously mounted attacks on Iranian security forces in the border area with Pakistan.

“These bases were hit and destroyed by missiles and drones,” Iranian state media reported, without elaborating.

Iranian Charge d’affaires has been called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey our strongest condemnation of this blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and that the responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran: Pakistan’s Foreign Office

Iran’s Nournews, affiliated with the country’s top security body, said the attacked bases were located in Pakistan’s Balochistan.

Iran says it targeted ‘Iranian terrorist group’ in Pakistan

At the time, Jan Achakzai, information minister of the province, which borders Iran, declined to confirm or deny the attack.

“Wait for the response of ISPR,” he had said, referring to the Pakistani military’s public relations wing.

Later, Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed that the strike had taken place.

“It is even more concerning that this illegal act has taken place despite the existence of several channels of communication between Pakistan and Iran,” it added in its statement.

“Pakistan’s strong protest has already been lodged with the concerned senior official in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.

“Additionally, the Iranian Charge d’affaires has been called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey our strongest condemnation of this blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and that the responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran.

“Pakistan has always said terrorism is a common threat to all countries in the region that requires coordinated action. Such unilateral acts are not in conformity with good neighbourly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust and confidence.”

AP, quoting Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency and state television, had earlier said missiles and drones were used in the strikes in Pakistan. Press TV, the English-language arm of Iranian state television, attributed the attack to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, according to AP.

AFP reported that Iran offered no immediate official comment but its state-run Nour News agency said the attack destroyed the headquarters of the Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice).

Formed in 2012, Jaish al Adl is blacklisted by Iran as a terrorist group and has carried out several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years.

The United States has also labelled Jaish al Adl a terrorist organisation, saying the group “primarily targets Iranian security personnel” but also government officials and civilians with assassinations, kidnappings, and suicide bombings.

The Iranian strikes add to multiple crises across the Middle East, with Israel’s aggression in Gaza and pro-Palestinian Houthis in Yemen attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

Hours before the strike, Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar had met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

Late Tuesday, Iran’s Nour News agency posted on X: “Minutes ago, two important headquarters of the so called Jaish-ul-Adl terrorist group was targeted in Pakistan”.

“These headquarters were destroyed by rockets and drones.”

Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center, warned of the seriousness of the strike.

“Iran has staged cross-border operations against Pakistan-based militants in the past, but I don’t recall anything on this scale,” he said on X.

“This plunges Pakistan-Iran ties – a delicate relationship even in the best of times – into serious crisis.”

Beijing urges ‘restraint’

In response to the development, China urged Pakistan and Iran to show “restraint”.

“We call on both sides to exercise restraint, avoid actions that would lead to an escalation of tension and work together to maintain peace and stability,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular briefing.

“We consider both Iran and Pakistan as close neighbours and major Islamic countries,” she said.

Both Iran and Pakistan are close partners of Beijing and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Pakistan recalls ambassador from Iran

The foreign in a statement on Wednesday said Pakistan had decided to recall its ambassador from Iran and expel the Iranian envoy in response to what it termed unprovoked violation of Pakistani airspace by Iran.

“This illegal act is completely unacceptable and has no justification whatsoever,” said the foreign office in a statement that followed its earlier remarks on Iran’s missile strike on Pakistani territory.

“Pakistan reserves the right to respond to this illegal act. The responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran.

“We have conveyed this message to the Iranian government. We have also informed them that Pakistan has decided to recall its ambassador from Iran and that the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan who is currently visiting Iran may not return for the time being,” it added.

“We have also decided to suspend all high level visits which were ongoing or were planned between Pakistan and Iran in coming days.”

The FO office also termed Iran’s missile strike on Pakistani territory “a violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”