Sensing situation in region which could easily get out of hand, China became only regional ally to step in offering mediation to cool down         A local resident shows a mountain at the Koh-e-Sabz area of Pakistan´s south-west Baluchistan province where Iran launched an airstrike, on January 18, 2024. — AFP

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: In a tit for tat response to January 16 airstrikes by Iran in Balochistan, Pakistan effectively hit terrorists in Iran’s border village of Saravan in the early hours of Thursday, killing nine foreign nationals.

Pakistan launched intelligence-based operation- codenamed “Marg Bar Sarmachar” (Death to Sarmachar) at 4:48am on Thursday in a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran.

Sensing the high volatile situation in the region which could easily get out of hand, China became the only regional ally to step in offering mediation to cool down the situation.

Ms Mao Ning, spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Office, said Beijing’s stand is that relations between countries should be handled in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law and that the countries’ sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be respected and safeguarded. “Iran and Pakistan are close neighbors and countries who have influence and keep friendly relations with China. China sincerely hopes that the two sides will remain calm, exercise restraint and avoid escalation of tension,” she added.

However, when the Foreign Office of Pakistan was approached with the Chinese offer, spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said she was not aware of any offer of mediation so far. “I am not aware of third-party mediation as you mentioned. Pakistan and Iran do have several channels of communication. And, at this point, I am not aware of any third parties stepping forward in this context,” she responded.

There has been no contact between Islamabad and Tehran since Thursday morning.

While the situation remains tense, the Foreign Office and the ISPR said going forward, dialogue and cooperation was deemed prudent in resolving issues between the two neighbouring brotherly countries.

The spokeswoman remarked, “Pakistan considers Iran as a close friend. We have great respect and affection for the Iranian people. Pakistan fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security. And it was not targeted against Iran; it was targeted against certain individuals, terrorist groups, who were having hideouts and sanctuaries inside Iran. So, we should not see it as something that is targeted against Iran. It is clearly focused and targeted against a terror outfits, which call themselves Sarmachars”.

The announcement about Pakistan’s military strikes was first made by the Foreign Office five hours after the strikes.

Later in the afternoon, the Inter Services Press Relations (ISPR) also released a detailed statement of Marg Bar Sarmachar including the footage of military strikes which were confirmed by Iran’s IRNA news agency. The agency confirmed that nine people were killed in the attack. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said all the dead “were foreign nationals”.

In her statement, Baloch said for the last several years, Pakistan had consistently shared its serious concerns with Iran about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani origin terrorists calling themselves *Sarmachars* on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran.

“Pakistan also shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence of the presence and activities of these terrorists. However, because of lack of action on our serious concerns, these so-called Sarmachars continued to spill the blood of innocent Pakistanis with impunity. “This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large scale terrorist activities by these so-called Sarmachars”, she said.

Defending Pakistan’s military strikes, she explained that this action manifested Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats.

“The successful execution of this highly complex operation is also a testimony to the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces. Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people which is sacrosanct, inviolable and sacred”.

Pakistan once again reached out to Tehran and said it fully respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“The sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest which is paramount and cannot be compromised. As a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan upholds the principles and purposes of the UN Charter including territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states. Guided by these principles, and in exercise of our legitimate rights within international law, Pakistan will never allow its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be challenged, under any pretext or circumstances,” she added.

Iran, she pointed out, was a brotherly country and the people of Pakistan had great respect and affection for the Iranian people. “We have always emphasized dialogue and cooperation in confronting common challenges including the menace of terrorism and will continue to endevaour to find joint solutions,” she said.

Meanwhile, the ISPR later gave the specifics of the military strikes.

“Pakistan carried out effective strikes against hideouts inside Iran used by terrorists responsible for recent attacks in Pakistan. The precision strikes were carried out using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons. Maximum care was taken to avoid collateral damage. Hideouts used by terrorist organisations namely Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front were successfully struck in an intelligence based operation, code name ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’. The targeted hideouts were being used by notorious terrorists including Dosta alias Chairman, Bajjar alias Soghat, Sahil alias Shafaq, Asghar alias Basham and Wazir alias Wazi, amongst others. Pakistan’s armed forces remain in a perpetual state of readiness to ensure safety of Pakistani citizens against the acts of terrorism”, said the statement.

“Our resolve to ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan is respected and safeguarded against any misadventure, remains unwavering. We reaffirm our determination to defeat all enemies of Pakistan with the support of the people of Pakistan. Going forward, dialogue and cooperation is deemed prudent in resolving bilateral issues between the two neighbouring brotherly countries,” it said.

The first reaction from Tehran after Pakistan’s strikes came with Pakistan’s Chargé d’affaires to Tehran called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain about the incident.

Deputy Security Chief of Sistan-Baluchistan Province confirmed that the attacks took place around 4:30 am in the morning. “The killed people are Pakistani nationals and we are investigating how these people landed in our area,” Iranian State News Agency IRNA quoted the official as saying.

It said the identities of those killed were being ascertained and would be shared.

Later, speaking to the media, Baloch confirmed that those taken out were Pakistanis as the names of these militants working against Pakistan had been given to the Iranian authorities. “Pakistan, for the last several months and years, has been in contact with the Iranian authorities and we have shared with them concrete evidence of the presence of these terrorist hideouts inside Iran and that is why we are very confident,“ she responded.

In its reaction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran “condemned Pakistan’s unbalanced and unacceptable drone attack on non-Iranian villagers on the border of the two countries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran adheres to the policy of good neighborliness and brotherhood between the two nations and the two governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan. It does not allow enemies to strain the amicable and brotherly relations of Tehran and Islamabad.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the security of its people and its territorial integrity as a red line and strongly expects the friendly and brotherly government of Pakistan to adhere to its obligations in preventing the establishment of bases and the deployment of armed terrorist groups on its soil,” the ministry said.

“On Tuesday, 16th January 2024, the Border Taskforce of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force, situated in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, took a preventive action against a terrorist group preparing to infiltrate the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran to carry out another terrorist operation similar to the criminal and terrorist attack in Rask.

“The action was carried out against the terrorist group’s barracks and headquarters located in the heights of the region, kilometers away from residential areas – a procedure which is part of the inherent duties of the border forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran to “proportionately deal” with any “imminent terrorist threat” against the people and citizens of the country.

“It is emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran differentiates between Pakistan’s friendly and brotherly government and armed terrorists.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran always adheres to its policy of good neighborliness and does not allow its enemies and terrorist allies to strain these relations, especially when the genocide and crimes of the Zionist regime are the foremost issue affecting the Islamic world,” the statement added.

Russia Thursday urged Islamabad and Tehran to de-escalate tensions. “We are watching with concern the escalation of the situation in the Iran-Pakistan border area that has been growing in recent days. We call on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and to resolve emerging issues exclusively through political and diplomatic means,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, reports AFP.

In another important development, Pakistan has started monitoring all flights coming from the western direction including Iran.

According to CAA sources, every activity taking place in the air over the western borders was being monitored.Talking to The News, Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson said the airspace between Pakistan and Iran was open to commercial flights and there were no instructions regarding the closure of the airspace for Iran. There is no restriction on the air traffic coming from any direction into Pakistan.

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi and the leaders of mainstream political parties came out in support of Pakistan’s response to Iran’s unprovoked military strikes. President Dr Arif Alvi said Pakistan would not compromise on its national security and territorial integrity and would take all necessary measures to defend its soil.

According to the media wing of the President House on Thursday, President Dr Alvi lauded the professionalism of the armed forces that targeted the terrorist hideouts. He said Pakistan fully respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states and expected the same from other nations not to violate international law.

Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) President Asif Ali Zardari said if any country looked at Pakistan with ill-intentions, then it would be given a response accordingly.

“Pakistan is a peace-loving country, but those who wish to target it should think a hundred times before doing so. We have always advocated for peace around the globe and have prioritized it as well,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Pakistan had used the right of defense, as it targeted terrorist groups in Iran.

“It was our proportional and our right and also it was right of self defense under the international law. We have made it clear that Pakistan does not compromise on its sovereignty,” he said in an interview. “The whole nation stands with the armed forces. We will insist on diplomacy on both sides so that this tension does not escalate,” he added.

JUIF chief Fazlur Rehman and JI Naib Amir Liaquat Baloch expressed serious concerns over tension between two countries calling for addressing the issues peacefully through talks. In a statement, Fazl said there were strong historic relations between the two countries.

Liaquat Baloch maintained that attack on Pakistan’s soil was totally unacceptable for the nation. “Iran has the right to defend its national security but attack on Pakistan is not understandable,” he said.

PTI Thursday termed the airstrikes of Pakistan, targeting the terrorist hideouts in Iran as the right of the defense of the armed forces of the country, being essential for the country’s sovereignty, national security and territorial integrity.

The PTI spokesperson made it clear that the PTI stood firmly with their armed forces in the face of any foreign aggression to defend and guard the motherland.