President Joe Biden remarked that the recent air strikes conducted by Pakistan and Iran within each other’s territories underscored a lack of popularity for Tehran in the increasingly tense region.
Biden shared with reporters at the White House, “It’s evident that Iran isn’t particularly well-regarded in the region,” and mentioned ongoing efforts to comprehend the evolving situation.
The latest development involved Pakistan conducting air strikes on terrorist hideouts in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province, responding to Iran’s violation of its airspace two days prior.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to the operation as ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar,’ emphasizing its intelligence-based nature.
According to the military’s media affairs wing, the operation targeted hideouts used by terrorist organizations, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), resulting in the elimination of several terrorists.
According to Iran’s IRNA news agency, an attack on a village in the city of Saravan resulted in nine casualties, all identified by Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi as foreign nationals.
In response to the exchange of air strikes between Iran and Pakistan on each other’s territory, the White House issued a call on Thursday for both countries to exercise restraint and prevent further escalation in tensions.
“We’re closely monitoring the situation. It’s crucial to avoid any escalation in South and Central Asia, and we are in communication with our Pakistani counterparts, as expected,” stated National Security Council spokesman John Kirby during a press briefing.
During the US State Department briefing, a question regarding the tensions between Pakistan and Iran was addressed. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller conveyed that the US had not engaged in specific discussions with Pakistan regarding the Iranian strikes.
He expressed condemnation for the strikes, highlighting Iran’s violation of the sovereign borders of three neighboring countries in recent days. Miller expressed the hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
