Pakistan expels Iranian ambassador, recalls own envoy over airspace violation
Pakistan
Pakistan expels Iranian ambassador, recalls own envoy over airspace violation
ISLAMABAD (APP/ Reuters) – Pakistan on Wednesday decided to recall its ambassador from Iran and suspend all high-level visits following the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran on Tuesday night.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in a televised press statement, said that Pakistan had also conveyed that the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan, who was currently visiting Iran, might not return for the time being.
“We have conveyed this message to the Iranian government. We have also informed them that 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,” the spokesperson remarked.
She said that the unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran was a violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
The FP spox said that this illegal act was completely unacceptable and had no justification whatsoever.
“Pakistan reserves the right to respond to this illegal act. The responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran,” she said.
The spokesperson said that Pakistan had also decided to suspend all high-level visits which were ongoing or were planned between Pakistan and Iran in the coming days.
Iran violated Pakistan’s airspace resulting in the death of two children, hours after Iranian state media said missiles targeted two bases of militant group Jaish al Adl on Tuesday.
Pakistan strongly condemned the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran in a statement released by the Foreign Office in the early hours of Wednesday.
Pakistan warned that the incident could have "serious consequences" and was "completely unacceptable".
The FO statement added, “It is even more concerning that this illegal act has taken place despite the existence of several channels of communication between Pakistan and Iran”.
Pakistan’s strong protest had already been lodged with the relevant official in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran, it mentioned.
The FO statement maintained the Iranian Charge d’affaires had been called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey “our strongest condemnation of this blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty”.
“Pakistan has always said terrorism is a common threat to all countries in the region that requires coordinated action.”
“Such unilateral acts are not in conformity with good neighbourly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust and confidence,” the statement added.
On Monday, Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards attacked targets in Iraq and Syria with missiles.
Jaish al Adl has previously mounted attacks on Iranian security forces in the border area with Pakistan.
"These bases were hit and destroyed by missiles and drones," Iranian state media reported earlier, without elaborating.
Iran's Nournews, affiliated with the country's top security body, said the attacked bases were in Pakistan's Balochistan province.
