Pakistan recalls envoy from Iran after airspace violation

ISLAMABAD: Following Iran’s violation of Pakistani airspace, the Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday said Islamabad has announced to expel Iranian ambassador while recalling its envoy from Tehran.

“Pakistan reserves the right to respond to this illegal act and the responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran,” FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahrah Baloch said in a post.

🔴LIVE: Statement by the Spokesperson on Unprovoked Violation of its Air Space https://t.co/2tktEAcdst

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) January 17, 2024

“Pakistan has decided to recall its ambassador from Iran and that the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan who is currently visiting Iran may not return for the time being.

“Last night’s unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran is a violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

“We have conveyed this message to the Iranian Government. We have also informed them that. We have also decided to suspend all high level visits which were ongoing or were planned between Pakistan and Iran in coming days,” the spokesperson said  in a statement.

According to a statement released by the Foreign Office (FO) after midnight, strikes in Pakistani territory resulted in “deaths of two innocent children while injuring of three girls”.

 “This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences.”

The Ministry further said: “It is even more concerning that this illegal act has taken place despite the existence of several channels of communication between Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan’s strong protest has already been lodged with the concerned senior official in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.”