After firing Iranian missiles this Monday against an Israeli intelligence base (Mosad) in Iraq and against jihadist groups in Syria, the Iranian army attacked again with an unexpected missile and drone attack against Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group in Pakistan The group claimed responsibility for the attack last December that killed 11 police officers in the Iranian city of Rask. According to Islamabad, the Iranian projectile fire caused two deaths, including children, and left several injured. This new armed operation by Tehran is undoubtedly increasing tensions in the Middle East, where Tehran-linked groups are attacking Western commercial interests in the Middle East Red Sea, which led to direct intervention by the US Navy and the British Royal Navy.
Pakistan has already responded to the attack – from all indications it was orchestrated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard– and described it as “unreasonable rape” its airspace, which “will have serious consequences.” The rockets increase the tension delicate diplomatic relations between Iran and PakistanThe latter is one of the few countries that has nuclear weapons.
It's worth remembering Iran and Pakistan Iran share a 959-kilometer-long border in the restive Sistan-Baluchistan province, where Iran's Sunni minority lives with a Shiite majority and is discriminated against and oppressed by the Iranian regime. Iran has in the past accused Islamabad of harboring and supporting terrorist groups that carry out cross-border attacks and has in the past threatened incursions within Pakistan. As The Times of India recalls, both countries have tried to maintain some cooperation and dialogue on issues such as trade, energy and security despite their border and religious disputes.
What did Iran achieve with this attack?
Two key strongholds of the terrorist group Jaysh al-Dhulm (Jaish al-Adl) in Pakistan were “successfully” destroyed, according to a statement by Iran's Tasnim news agency. This group is known as the “Justice Army” and is a Sunni militant faction that was founded in 2012 and has a growing presence in Pakistan. In addition, the propaganda of the Shiite regime of the Ayatollahs ensures that the attacked group – Jaish al-Adl – receives support from the Israeli state. Until now, Iran, on the other hand, fought with attacks in border areasBut this missile and drone attack on Pakistani soil marks a turning point and a new approach in its strategy against Sunni jihadist forces.
Last month, there was an attack on an Iranian police station in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, in which at least 11 Iranian police officers were killed. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi attributed this attack to the Pakistani group Jaish al-Adl. Observers believe tonight's attack is retaliation for the attack in December.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry has initially summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires lodged a “strong protest” and declared that such unilateral actions were not in line with good neighborly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust. “It is even more worrying that this illegal act took place despite the existence of multiple communication channels between Pakistan and Iran,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said. “Pakistan has always said that terrorism is a common threat to all countries in the region that requires coordinated action. Such unilateral actions are not in line with good neighborly relations and may seriously undermine bilateral trust.”