Pakistan Suspends All High-Level Visits To Iran After IRGC Batters Terror Targets On Its Soil

Irate Pakistan on Wednesday suspended all high-level visits, ongoing or planned, with Iran following what it described as the “unprovoked violation of its airspace” by Tehran. The geopolitical tussle between the two neighbouring nations intensified after IRGC laughed missile and drone strikes on targets deep inside the Pakistani territory, angering Islamabad.

The Iranian strikes on the Pakistani territory “resulted in deaths of two innocent children while injuring of three girls,” said Pakistani Foreign Office. It slammed the attacks as a “violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.” As the diplomatic row escalated, Baghdad recalled its ambassador to Pakistan. The latter also expelled the Iranian ambassador from the country, in an effort to register the protest.

‘Blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty’: FO spokesperson

According to the Iran’s state-run Nour News agency the IRGC attack destroyed the Pakistan headquarters of the Jaish al-Adl. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said that the region was a  “focal point of this operation was the region known as Kouh-Sabz (green mountain)” in Balochistan. “Two key strongholds of the Jaysh al-Dhulm (Jaish al-Adl) terrorist group in Pakistan” were “specifically targeted and successfully demolished by a combination of missile and drone attacks”, the agency said.

In an angst laden response, Pakistan FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch condemned the Iranian attack on Pakistan, saying that it is an “unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran.” She continued that Tehran’s action was in violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations (UN). “This illegal act is completely unacceptable and has no justification whatsoever,” she asserted. “Pakistan reserves the right to respond to this illegal act and the responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran,” the spokesperson stressed.

China, meanwhile urged Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran to exercise restraint after the Iranian attacks on the Pakistan sponsored terror groups and their bases on the border. Islamabad slammed the Iranian attacks as “unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran.”  At a press briefing, the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, ”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.” She added, "We consider both Iran and Pakistan as close neighbours and major Islamic countries.”