Pakistani missile attack on Iran – concern about escalation
Published: Thursday, Jan 18th 2024, 13:00
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Pakistan has fired missiles at neighboring Iran, apparently in retaliation. The attack on the province of Sistan and Balochistan on Thursday was aimed at extremists, according to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry. China and Turkey immediately warned against further escalation of the situation.
According to the Iranian news agency Irna, nine people, including four children, were killed. The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Tehran, Nasser Kanaani, condemned the attack. As the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported, the Pakistani chargé d'affaires was summoned to the Foreign Ministry.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, there has been growing concern about a conflagration in the region. Tensions between Iran and other neighboring countries are also on the rise.
On Tuesday, Iran attacked targets belonging to the extremist group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan. According to Pakistan, two children were killed in the attack. Nuclear power Pakistan sharply criticized the attacks and withdrew its ambassador from Tehran. During the night, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also attacked targets in Iraq and Syria with ballistic missiles.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry justified the attack on Thursday with references to terrorist threats in the region. Nevertheless, Pakistan respects Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Iran is a brotherly nation and the people of Pakistan have great respect and affection for the people of Iran."
China called on both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint. A spokeswoman for the Beijing Foreign Ministry said: "If there is a need on both sides, we are also prepared to play a constructive role in easing the situation." Turkey also called for moderation. It was prepared to mediate.
The mutual attacks followed recent positive developments in relations. Only on Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian and Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar met at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The neighboring countries had just held a joint naval exercise.
Iran's air defense capabilities have been called into question following the incident, according to Hamidreza Azizi, guest researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin on the online platform X (formerly Twitter). "Considering possible long-term effects on Iran's deterrence and security, the attack on Pakistan was probably one of the biggest strategic mistakes in the history of the Islamic Republic."
However, Irfan Shehzad, head of the Eurasian Centruy Institute in Islamabad, believes that further escalation between Pakistan and Iran is unlikely. "I think diplomatic relations will remain at a lower level for the time being, but it looks as if there will be no escalation," Shehzad told the German Press Agency.
©Keystone/SDA
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