Iran-Pakistan missile spat: Is the West Asian conflict widening?
Mint explains. Iran launched a missile attack at reported terror camps in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province last week. The target was Jaish al-Adl, which operates in Pakistan and Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province.
Founded in 2012 it had claimed responsibility for an attack on an Iranian police station in December. Pakistan condemned the attack saying it had killed two minor girls. In response, it launched attacks on Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province against what it termed “terrorist hideouts" which killed nine, and recalled its ambassador in Tehran.
Now their foreign ministers have spoken and defused tensions. The Iranian attack followed similar strikes on Syria and Iraq. Experts say Iran launched the strikes in retaliation for two attacks over the last few weeks: one killed 94 people attending a memorial for a general and the other killed a commander.
They say Tehran launched the strikes to send a message to its people and regional powers that Iran remains strong on national security. Once the strikes had taken place, Pakistan’s army had little option but to retaliate given reputational concerns. It too suffered serious setbacks with internal political instability and terror attacks that have killed scores of people.
“...We have an uncompromising position of zero tolerance towards terrorism. We understand actions that countries take in their self-defence," said the Indian spokesperson. Observers said the stance showed a tilt toward Iran.
New Delhi and Tehran have long maintained a dialogue on terrorism and security, with a wary eye on Islamabad’s policies in the region. The US condemned Iran’s strikes in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan. “I think it is a little rich, for on one hand, Iran to be the leading funder of terrorism
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