Tension Rises As Pak Attacks Iran, 9 Killed

NEW DELHI, (IANS) – Pakistan’s attack on Iranian soil is the first external land attack on Iran since forces led by then-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in the 1980s, starting a vicious eight-year war, the media reported.

Iran’s initial reaction has been muted — only half a sentence from the spokesman of the foreign ministry condemning the action. The media in Iran have been emphasizing that those killed inside the country because of the Pakistani attacks were not Iranian nationals, the BBC reported.

The Revolutionary Guards have been silent – which means that they are still debating how to respond. They seem to have been taken by surprise.

They certainly brought this on to themselves when over two days this week they attacked targets in three countries, including their neighbors Iraq and Pakistan with whom they had previously had good relations — relations that are now in tatters, the BBC reported.

Pakistan has launched missile strikes into Iran, killing nine persons, after Iran carried out strikes in Pakistan late on January 16.

Islamabad said its strikes had hit “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-o-Baluchistan province.

Iran condemned the attack, which it said killed three women, two men, and four children, and Tehran has summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires to “request an explanation”.

Farwa Aamer, Director of South Asia Initiatives, Asia Society Policy Institute said, “Amid these developments, a comprehensive diplomatic strategy becomes even more crucial for both Pakistan and Iran. The incident has not only heightened the potential for broader regional instability but has also caught the attention of the international community. Strategic diplomatic interventions are deemed essential to de-escalate tensions and prevent any ripple effects that could further destabilize the region.”

She added, “India, as a neighboring player, is closely monitoring the situation and has established its stance by characterizing it as a bilateral matter. India maintains an ‘uncompromising position of zero tolerance towards terrorism’ while acknowledging the actions countries take in self-defense.”