Iran’s Missile Strike on Pakistani Territory: A Tense Turn in Cross-Border Relations

Hadia Safeer

Iran and Pakistan, two critical nations in South Asia and the Middle East, respectively, have a complicated past. They have different social, cultural, and security concerns besides sharing a border. International developments, internal political upheavals, and these two nations’ interactions with other nations in the region frequently impact their dynamics. In just over a day, Iran carried out missile assaults on targets in Pakistan, Syria, and Iraq. It then went above and beyond by claiming full credit for the attacks, which infuriated its neighbors. In the most recent indication of an upsurge of violence spreading over the region of the Middle East as well as worldwide, Iran has begun airstrikes on Pakistani, allegedly targeting a Sunni militant group.

In response to the “unprovoked violation of its airspace,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry summoned Tehran’s senior minister to Islamabad and reported that two children had died and three others had been injured in what it described as an “illegal” airstrike. The ministry withheld additional information about the strikes; however, Pakistani social media sites said that missile strikes had targeted the province of Baluchistan, which is located near the 1,000-kilometer border between the two nations. Relations between Iran and Pakistan have significantly deteriorated, as evidenced by reports of Iranian airstrikes targeting bases of the Sunni insurgent organization Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan. This move indicates Iran’s growing assertiveness in handling perceived security risks outside its borders, particularly those connected to militant organizations like Jaish al-Adl, which Tehran regards as terrorists.

The Baluchistan province, which lies on the border between Iran and Pakistan, is where Jaish al-Adl mainly conducts its operations. This group has contributed to the intricate security dynamics in the area by participating in several strikes against Iranian security personnel. The Baloch separatist movement, which is active in Pakistani and Iranian border regions, further exacerbates the already complex relationship between the two nations. The Iranian missile attack in Pakistan can be interpreted as a part of an enormous retaliation by Iran for a series of security difficulties it faces, following similar moves in Syria and Iraq. These retaliations appear to have been sparked by the double suicide attack in Kerman, which cost many lives and was attributed to the Islamic State (IS).

Iran is using a multifaceted approach to countering the threats it sees from diverse extremist organizations, as seen by its choice to strike targets in different nations. Although Jaish al-Adl’s role in the Kerman incident is unclear, Iran may see any Sunni extremist organization active in its border areas as a component of a broader threat environment. This may help to explain Tehran’s possible targeting of Jaish al-Adl inside Pakistan, which is part of a more extensive campaign against organizations it regards as terrorists. Recent flare-ups in the Middle East, particularly in the Red Sea, have brought to light the complex mechanisms of conflicts in the region and the participation of numerous both state and non-state players. The US and its coalition partners have launched a military operation against Houthi sites in Yemen in response to the rebels’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The Houthi rebels support the Palestinian struggle in Gaza.

The US attacks against the Houthis, which included hitting anti-ship missiles, indicate a more aggressive stance against the organization backed by Iran. This increase follows a missile strike on a cargo ship owned by Greece, which highlights the increasing dangers to civilian marine commerce in the area even though no one was hurt. Redesignating the Houthis as globally designated terrorists under the Biden administration’s anticipated action is a dramatic policy change. According to reports, this redesignation was made in reaction to the Houthi group’s growing aggression and their engagement in destabilizing actions in the area. In order to allow humanitarian help into Yemen, the US withdrew the Houthis from the terrorist list in February 2021. This decision has been reversed.

These events take place against the context of the Gaza Conflict, which was started by an Israeli offensive by Hamas. Hezbollah in Lebanon has been involved in the battle; it has conducted missile launches into northern Israel, prompting the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to launch retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon. The complexity of the conflicts in the Middle East region and the difficulty of resolving them in the face of conflicting interests and allies are illustrated by this multi-front dilemma. The meeting was held between Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, and Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, the caretaker of Pakistan, at the World Economic Forum, which takes place in Davos, Switzerland. It is unclear what they discussed, but recent Iranian missile attacks in Pakistan and the ongoing problems in the Baluch region were significant points of conversation. Baluchistan is a complicated, long-standing problem. For more than 20 years, Baluch nationalists in the area have been fighting for increased autonomy or independence through a low-intensity insurgency. Iran and Pakistan now have a strained and frequently acrimonious relationship as a result of this battle.

Pakistan’s strong dissatisfaction and outrage against Tehran’s activities is evident in its decision to recall its envoy from Iran and the signal that the ambassador of Iran may not return anytime soon. The episode that set off this reaction entailed Iran utilizing drones and missiles to strike and destroy “Green Mountain,” which it claimed was the terrorist organization’s headquarters inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan claims that this action, which was covered by Iranian state media, is a grave violation of international law. Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch called this move an “unprovoked and blatant” violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and strongly condemned it. Islamabad holds the position that Iran’s actions are against international law and the UN Charter’s tenets.

The Pakistani spokesperson’s use of terms like “illegal” and “completely unacceptable” to describe the crime shows how seriously Pakistan takes this occurrence. There may also be room for additional escalation, given Pakistan’s claim that it has the right to retaliate and that Iran will be responsible for any fallout. This delicate position may affect Iran-Pakistan ties and regional stability more broadly. It emphasizes how difficult it is to deal with transnational terrorist activity and how difficult it is for countries to strike a balance between international law, security, and sovereignty. Whether this crisis intensifies further or is settled diplomatically will depend on the political and diplomatic moves made in the upcoming days and weeks.

The writer is a student of International Relations at International Islamic University Islamabad.