Tensions flare up after Iran strike, Pakistan recalls envoy to Tehran

NT Bureau, Agencies

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday recalled its ambassador to Iran and suspended all high-level planned bilateral visits in the coming days, hours after Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone strikes on what it said were terrorist bases of a Sunni militant group in the restive Balochistan province.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch in a statement also said that the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan who is currently visiting Iran may not return to Islamabad for the time being.

Pakistan also reserves the right to retaliate to the provocation by Iran, she said.

Two bases of Balochi militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan were targeted by missiles and drones on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported, a day after Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards attacked targets in Iraq and Syria with missiles.

"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,” Baloch said, adding that Pakistan has conveyed this message to the Iranian Government.

The overnight attack killed two children and injured three girls. Iran's attack could potentially raise tensions in the Middle East, already roiled by Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“Two key strongholds of the Jaysh al-Dhulm (Jaish al-Adl) terrorist group in Pakistan” were “specifically targeted and successfully demolished,” Tasnim news agency said.

Earlier, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was shocked by the Iranian attack on his country.