Pakistan and Iran recently conducted strikes on each other’s territories, heightening tensions in the already volatile Middle East. The cross-border conflict involves the Balochistan provinces on both sides, where both nations have long grappled with separatist militants.
The sequence of events unfolded with Iran’s strikes on Pakistan’s Balochistan province, resulting in casualties, including two children. Iran claimed to target “Iranian terrorists on the soil of Pakistan”, specifically the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl, known in Iran as Jaish al-Dhulm. This group operates along both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border, advocating for independence for Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province.
In response, Pakistan initiated a series of precision military strikes on alleged separatist hideouts in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan. The strikes led to the death of at least 10 individuals, all Pakistani nationals. Pakistan justified its actions, citing long-standing complaints about separatist fighters finding safe havens in Iran.
Here are some key developments:
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both nations to avoid further escalation, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution to prevent regional instability
- The death toll has risen to nine, including four children, due to Pakistani air strikes. The Iranian strikes earlier in the week resulted in two children’s deaths in Pakistan
- President Joe Biden highlighted the tensions, suggesting that the strikes by Pakistan indicate Tehran’s unfavorable standing in the region
- India said that it “understand(s) actions countries take in self-defence” and maintained that it is “a matter between Iran and Pakistan”
- Russia called for restraint and a diplomatic resolution, expressing its concerns over the escalating attacks between Pakistan and Iran
- Pakistan President Arif Alvi urged for dialogue between the “brotherly neighbours” to find a joint solution and resolve the issue peacefully
- China, an ally of both nations, expressed willingness to mediate and called for de-escalation through political and diplomatic means
- Despite the conflict, Iran reaffirmed its commitment to good neighborly relations with Pakistan, aiming to prevent the establishment of terrorist bases
- The conflict sparked a diplomatic spat, leading to the recall of the Pakistani envoy to Tehran after Iran’s strikes