'Actions taken in self-defence': India backs Iranian strikes in Pakistan, issues statement
New Delhi, Jan 18: Defending Iran's actions against Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday distanced from the ongoing rift between Tehran and Islamabad, saying "this is a matter between Iran and Pakistan". However, India understood actions taken by Tehran against Islamabad's militant groups.
Meanwhile, at the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, India strongly protested after Pakistan raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. “While our focus is on coming together to strengthen NAM collectively, we have been exposed to the unfortunate, misplaced, predictable, and blatant misuse of this august platform by Pakistan, as it propagates false and malicious propaganda against my country. Any interference in India's internal affairs is unacceptable and we completely reject it,” Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, the Minister of State for External Affairs, who represented New Delhi at the summit, said while delivering his statement.
Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone strike on what it said were terrorist bases of a Sunni militant group in the restive Balochistan province of Pakistan. Following this, Pakistan warned Iran of serious consequences, and recalled its ambassador to Iran, and suspended all high-level planned bilateral visits in the coming days.
A member of Iran's Revolutionary Guards was shot dead in Balochistan which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. This attack followed Iranian strikes at two bases of the militant group Jaish ul-Adl in Balochistan on Tuesday.
Jaish al-Adl is the "most active and influential" Sunni militant group operating in Sistan-Baluchestan, according to the Office of the US Director of National Intelligence.
Last month, at least 11 Iranian police officers were killed in an attack overnight on a police station in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan, according to Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, who blamed the Jaish al-Adl for the incident. He claimed the Jaish militants had entered Sistan from the Pakistan side near Panjgur.
On July 23 last year, four Iranian policemen were killed while on patrol near the border in an attack claimed by the Jaish Al Adl. In May, five Iranian border guards died in clashes with an armed group in Saravan, southeast of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Balochistan.
"We have an uncompromising position of zero tolerance towards terrorism. We understand actions that countries take in their self defense," said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson, MEA.
This statement came after Iran carried out the missile strikes targeting two camps of the Jaish-al-Adl (aka Jaysh al-Dhulm) at Kouh-Sabz in Balochistan in Pakistan in the late hours of Tuesday and the early hours of Wednesday – just close on the heels of India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to the West Asian nation.
Jaishankar met his counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on Monday. He also called on Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
New Delhi will also soon host Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the secretary of the Supreme National Council of Iran.
Jaishankar conveyed to Amir-Abdollahian and Raisi condolences on behalf of the Government of India for the death of over 80 people in the terrorist attack at Kerman in Iran on January 3. The Islamic State already claimed responsibility for the attacks.
New Delhi will also soon host Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the secretary of the Supreme National Council of Iran.
Jaishankar conveyed to Amir-Abdollahian and Raisi condolences on behalf of the Government of India for the death of over 80 people in the terrorist attack at Kerman in Iran on January 3. The Islamic State already claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Also Read: Before Iran's airstrike, Pakistan Air Force boasted about its 'advanced capabilities'
Iran’s missile attacks on the camps of Jaish-al-Adl in Pakistan were in response to the outfit’s attack on a police camp at Rask, a town in the West Asian nation, last month.
Iran’s missile attacks on the camps of Jaish-al-Adl in Pakistan were in response to the outfit’s attack on a police camp at Rask, a town in the West Asian nation, last month.
It is pertinent to mention that the Indian Army carried out a ‘surgical strike’ on terrorist camps along its Line of Control with Pakistan on September 29, 2016, in the wake of an attack on its brigade headquarters at Uri in Kashmir eleven days ago. The Indian Air Force also bombed the terrorist camps at Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26, 2019, in response to the killing of paramilitary personnel in attacks by the Jaish-e-Mohammed group based in the neighboring country.
Meanwhile, at the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, India strongly protested after Pakistan raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. “While our focus is on coming together to strengthen NAM collectively, we have been exposed to the unfortunate, misplaced, predictable, and blatant misuse of this august platform by Pakistan, as it propagates false and malicious propaganda against my country. Any interference in India's internal affairs is unacceptable and we completely reject it,” Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, the Minister of State for External Affairs, who represented New Delhi at the summit, said while delivering his statement.
Also Read: NB Explains | In Iran, Jaishankar 'boldly' slams attacks on ship near India amid Red Sea crisis: "Matter of Grave Concern"
Iranian strikes on Pakistan
Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone strike on what it said were terrorist bases of a Sunni militant group in the restive Balochistan province of Pakistan. Following this, Pakistan warned Iran of serious consequences, and recalled its ambassador to Iran, and suspended all high-level planned bilateral visits in the coming days.
A member of Iran's Revolutionary Guards was shot dead in Balochistan which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. This attack followed Iranian strikes at two bases of the militant group Jaish ul-Adl in Balochistan on Tuesday.
In now-deleted reports, state-run Iranian media said that "precision missile and drone strikes" were aimed at two strongholds of the Sunni terrorist group Jaish al-Adl (known as Jaish al-Dhulm in Iran).
Also Read: NB Explains | Iran attacks Pakistan's Jaish al-Adl militant group sparking diplomatic crisis
Jaish al-Adl is the "most active and influential" Sunni militant group operating in Sistan-Baluchestan, according to the Office of the US Director of National Intelligence.
Last month, at least 11 Iranian police officers were killed in an attack overnight on a police station in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan, according to Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, who blamed the Jaish al-Adl for the incident. He claimed the Jaish militants had entered Sistan from the Pakistan side near Panjgur.
On July 23 last year, four Iranian policemen were killed while on patrol near the border in an attack claimed by the Jaish Al Adl. In May, five Iranian border guards died in clashes with an armed group in Saravan, southeast of Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Balochistan.
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