Pakistan and Iran have expressed a willingness to collaborate on security issues following recent cross-border drone and missile strikes on militant bases within each other’s territories. This development was confirmed in a call between their respective foreign ministers on Friday. The recent tit-for-tat strikes are the most significant cross-border intrusions in recent years, raising concerns about regional instability since the onset of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7.
Despite their history of rocky relations, both countries have indicated a desire to de-escalate tensions. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani spoke with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a day after Pakistan’s strikes in Iran. Iran reported that Thursday’s strikes resulted in nine fatalities, including children, while Pakistan’s attack on Tuesday led to the death of two children.
Jilani emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to work with Iran on various issues, highlighting the need for closer security cooperation. This sentiment aligns with Pakistan’s recent communication with its Turkish counterpart, expressing no interest in escalating the situation.
An important meeting of Pakistan’s National Security Committee, led by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, is underway to review the national security situation in the aftermath of the incidents with Iran. This meeting follows Kakar’s return from the World Economic Forum in Davos, which he left early due to the escalating situation.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for maximum restraint from both nations. The United States, while urging restraint, noted through President Joe Biden that the clashes indicate Iran’s regional unpopularity.
The militant groups targeted in these strikes are active in the regions encompassing Pakistan’s Balochistan and Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province. These areas are known for their restiveness, rich mineral resources, and underdevelopment. Islamabad’s targets were bases of the separatist Baloch Liberation Front and Baloch Liberation Army, while Tehran’s strikes were against militants from the Jaish al Adl (JAA) group.
