Pakistan expels Iran envoy, recalls top diplomats from Tehran after Balochistan air strike

Pakistan has expelled Iranian ambassador and recalled its top diplomats from Iran, amid mounting tension over Iranian air strikes on the Pakistani province of Balochistan on Tuesday. “Pakistan has decided to recall its ambassador from Iran and that the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan who is currently visiting Iran may not return for the time being,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said while addressing a press briefing in Islamabad. Pakistan has also announced the suspension of all ongoing and planned high-level visits. According to Iranian state media, Tehran said it had targeted two camps of the Jaish al-Adl terror group, inside Pakistani territory of “Green Mountain” with drones and missiles. Islamabad condemned the attack, calling it a “completely unacceptable” violation of its airspace and warned of “serious consequences”. Pakistan said that Iran carried out an air strike on its territory that killed two children. Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for an attack in December on a police station in Rask that killed at least 11 Iranian police officers. Islamabad called the airstrike an “unprovoked and blatant” breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran and termed the move as a violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. “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. China, a close ally of Iran and Pakistan, urged restraint, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning saying both the countries should “avoid actions that would lead to an escalation of tension”. Formed in 2012, Jaish al-Adl is blacklisted by Iran as a terrorist group and has carried out several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years. With inputs from agencies