Tehran condemns Pakistan’s raid on Iran’s soil, summons Islamabad envoy

The Pakistani diplomat was summoned to the foreign ministry on Thursday in the absence of the country’s ambassador to Tehran for an explanation regarding several explosions in different areas around the city of Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan province, close to the border with Pakistan earlier in the day.

Iranian Foreign Minister Nasser Kanaani later condemned the assault and confirmed that the Pakistani chargé d’affaires had been summoned by the ministry to convey Tehran’s protest to Islamabad and provide an explanation about the attack.

Deputy governor of the province Alireza Marhamati said nine non-Iranian nationals, including two men, three women and four children, were killed in the attack.

He added that Iranian security officials are investigating the issue.

Pakistan on Thursday said it struck “terrorist hideouts” in Iran, less than two days after Tehran launched airstrikes which Islamabad called a violation of its airspace.

“This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran,” the Foreign Ministry announced in a statement.

Pakistan stressed that Islamabad has “no interest in escalating any situation” with Tehran after the country’s military carried out strikes against “terrorist hideouts” inside Iran.

“Pakistan considers people of Iran as our friends and brothers and we have no interest in escalating any situation,” said Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a news conference in Islamabad.

Baloch emphasized that Pakistan believes in dialogue and cooperation, noting: “We also believe that dialogue and cooperation is essential for confronting common challenges, including the menace of terrorism and we would like to continue to engage with all neighbors including Iran.”