An Iranian Sunni extremist group operating out of hideouts in southwestern Pakistan, Jaysh al-Adl (JA – Army of Justice), has started to threaten Iran’s security and darken relations between Tehran and Islamabad.
Days after JA abducted five border guards from a remote border post in southeastern Iran on February 6, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli warned Iran could send forces into Pakistan’s Balochistan Province to free the captives: “If Pakistan doesn’t take the needed steps to fight against the terrorist groups, we will send our forces onto Pakistani soil… We will not wait” (Dawn [Karachi], February 18).
Pakistan reacted cautiously. The Foreign Ministry said Islamabad “regrets the suggestions of negligence” put forward by Iran. The statement reminded Tehran of Pakistan’s “active support against terrorist groups in the past,” but emphasized that “the Iranian forces have no authority to cross our borders in violation of the international law. We must respect each other’s borders.” [1] Continue reading
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