Pakistan’s National Security Committee to meet today amid tensions with Iran

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 19 (ANI): Pakistan’s National Security Committee is set to meet on Friday amid the cross-border tensions with Iran, Dawn newspaper reported.

Iran’s strikes in Pakistan came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missiles into Iraq’s Kurdistan region at what it called an Israeli ‘spy headquarters’ and alleged ISIS-linked targets in Syria, Al Arabiya News reported.

In response, Pakistan on Thursday launched missile strikes into Iran and codenamed it Operation ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in a statement said it had undertaken a series of “highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts” in the Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran.

“A number of terrorists were killed during the intelligence-based operation codenamed “Marg Bar Sarmachar,” it said.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he was ‘deeply concerned’ about the exchange of military strikes between Iran and Pakistan. He called on both nations to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a further escalation of tensions.

According to a statement released by UN Chief Stephane Dujarric, Antonio Guterres said, “The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the recent exchange of military strikes between Iran and Pakistan, which have reportedly caused casualties on both sides.”

“He urges both countries to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a further escalation of tensions,” he added.

Antonio Guterres underlined that all security concerns between Iran and Pakistan must be addressed by “peaceful means” through dialogue and cooperation, in accordance with the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and good neighbourly relations. (ANI)

The US has also expressed concern over escalating tensions in the region, has urged restraint on all sides, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Thursday (local time).

Addressing a press briefing, Miller said there is no need for escalation in the matter. He said that the US has noted the Pakistani government’s comments about the importance of “cooperative relations between Pakistan and its neighbours.

In response to a question on how the US administration reads the situation between Iran and Pakistan, Miller said, “We are concerned about escalating tensions in the region. It’s been something we have spoken number of times, we’ve focused on. We’ve been incredibly concerned about the potential for escalation since October 7.”

“That’s why we have engaged in intense diplomatic efforts to try to prevent escalation. We noted the comments from the government of Pakistan, about the importance of cooperative relations between Pakistan and its neighbours. We thought those were productive useful statements, and certainly, there’s no need for escalation and we would urge restraint on all sides in this case,” he added.

Asked about media reports claiming that Pakistan consulted the US before conducting strikes in Iran, Miller said, “I do not have any private conversations to read out.”