India on Wednesday responded to Iran’s air strikes in Pakistan, saying that this is a matter between the two nations and that, as far as India is concerned, it has an uncompromising position of zero tolerance towards terrorism. Iran on Tuesday launched attacks in Pakistan, targeting what it described as bases for the militant group.
Tehran launched unprecedented strikes on the terrorist bases of a Sunni militant group in the restive Balochistan province. Two bases of the Balochi militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan were targeted by missiles and drones, PTI reported, citing Iranian state media.
Speaking on the matter, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “This is a matter between Iran and Pakistan. Insofar as India is concerned, we have an uncompromising position of zero tolerance towards terrorism. We understand actions that countries take in their self defense.” Notably, External Minister S Jaishankar was in Iran on Monday, a day ahead of Tehran’s strikes.
On Wednesday, Pakistan claimed that Iran violated its airspace, expelled the Iranian ambassador, and recalled its envoy from Tehran, as reported by Pakistan’s Geo TV. According to PTI, Pakistan has also suspended all high-level planned bilateral visits in the coming days.
Pakistan also summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey its “strongest condemnation of this blatant violation” of its sovereignty.
In Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch said that the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan who is currently visiting Iran may not return to Islamabad for the time being, as reported by PTI. She further stated that Pakistan also reserves the right to retaliate to the provocation by Iran.
Pakistani officials stated that two children were killed and three others injured in the missile strike in Balochistan, PTI reported. Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in Davos that the operation was targeting Jaish al-Adl. “We only targeted Iranian terrorists on the soil of Pakistan,” he said, as quoted by PTI.