In a stunning development on the foreign affairs front, Pakistan has decided to call back its envoy from Iran following Tuesday's violation of its airspace and the strike inside Pakistani territory, which resulted in the deaths of two children while injuring three girls.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Wednesday evening, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Islamabad has also suspended all the visits of its officials to Iran.
🔴LIVE: Statement by the Spokesperson on Unprovoked Violation of its Air Space https://t.co/2tktEAcdst
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) January 17, 2024
Pakistan has also asked the Iranian ambassador in Islamabad, who is currently visiting his home country, not to return, the spokesperson added.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the Foreign Office said: "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. This illegal act is completely unacceptable and has no justification whatsoever. 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. We have also decided to suspend all high level visits which were ongoing or were planned between Pakistan and Iran in coming days."
Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan strongly condemned the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran and the strike inside Pakistani territory, which resulted in the death of two innocent children while injuring three girls.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said: "This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences."
The statement reads: "It is even more concerning that this illegal act has taken place despite the existence of several channels of communication between Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan's strong protest has already been lodged with the concerned senior official in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.
The FO spokesperson said that the Iranian charge d’affaires had been summoned 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."
Iran's top diplomat admits strike on Pakistan soil, killing two children
In a startling revelation, Tehran's top diplomat Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, openly acknowledged that Iranian armed forces had launched a targeted attack on what they termed as an "Iranian terrorist group" operating within Pakistani territory.
The admission came during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the foreign minister insisted that no Pakistani nationals had been targeted in the strike.
Pakistan strongly condemns Iran's 'unprovoked violation' of air space, summons envoy
Pakistan strongly condemned the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran and the strike inside Pakistani territory, which resulted in the death of two innocent children while injuring three girls.
In a statement, MOFA said: "This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences."
The statement reads: "It is even more concerning that this illegal act has taken place despite the existence of several channels of communication between Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan's strong protest has already been lodged with the concerned senior official in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.
Pakistan holds Iranian govt, Revolutionary Guards, intel responsible for Panjgur attack
Tensions between Pakistan and Iran run high, as the Foreign Office has condemned Iran's violation of Pakistani airspace and said that Islamabad strongly condemned the unprovoked violation.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and integrity was totally unacceptable, adding that it could lead to serious consequences.
The spokesperson elaborated that as a result of Iran’s violation, two children had been killed and three girls injured. “The violation of Pakistani border by Iran is very alarming,” the FO added.
China wants Pakistan, Iran to show 'restraint' amid airstrike row
China has asked Pakistan and Iran to exercise "restraint", following Islamabad's claim that Tehran had launched an airstrike on its territory that resulted in the deaths of two children.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a routine briefing on Wednesday, "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." "We consider both Iran and Pakistan as close neighbours and major Islamic countries," she said.
Iran's 'attack' inside Pakistan
Iran allegedly launched attacks in Pakistan on Tuesday targeting what it described as two bases of Baloch group Jaish al-Adl, state media reported, potentially further raising tensions in the Middle East already roiled by Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Iranian state media reported that the bases were "hit and destroyed" by missiles and drones, without elaborating.
Other media reports claimed that Iran's Revolutionary Guards carried out the "ballistic missile strikes" at multiple locations on Iran-Pakistan border. An open-source intelligence monitor claimed the Revolutionary Guards announced they carried out the attack using ballistic missiles as well as "one-way suicide drones" against the “anti-Iran terrorist groups”.
