Iran Summons Pakistani Chargé D’affaires over Deadly Border Attack

By Staff, Agencies

Iran has summoned the Pakistani chargé d'affaires in the capital Tehran in protest at an attack on the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

The Pakistani diplomat was summoned to the ministry on Thursday in the absence of the country’s ambassador to Tehran for an explanation regarding several explosions in different areas around the city of Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan province, close to the border with Pakistan earlier in the day.

This comes as seven non-Iranian nationals have been killed in several explosions in the country’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, close to the border with Pakistan early on Thursday morning.

Deputy governor of the province Alireza Marhamati told IRNA that Iranian security officials are investigating the issue.

He added that the fatalities included three women and four children.

An informed source said Iran has demanded Pakistan's “immediate explanation” about the incident.

In a press release on Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the country undertook “a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province.

“This morning's action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities,” it added.

The ministry reiterated Pakistan's full respect for Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and said, “We have always emphasized dialogue and cooperation in confronting common challenges including the menace of terrorism and will continue to endeavor to find joint solutions.”

It emphasized that the action showed Pakistan’s “unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats” and vowed to continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of the country's people.

“The sole objective of today's act was in pursuit of Pakistan's own security and national interest which is paramount and cannot be compromised,” the press release pointed out.

The explosions occurred after Iran on Tuesday carried out simultaneous drone and missile attacks into two bases of the so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group in Pakistan adjacent to Iranian borders.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said members of the terrorist group are Iranians who have taken shelter in Pakistan and that Tehran had repeatedly warned Islamabad to prevent their anti-Iran cross-border operations.

Jaish al-Adl, which was formed in 2012, has carried out several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years.

The group claimed responsibility for an attack in December on a police station in the southeastern city of Rask that killed at least 11 Iranian police officers.

On January 10, another attack by the group on a police station in the city killed a policeman.