Iran’s territorial integrity a ‘red line’: Foreign Ministry
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Pakistan's cross-border drone attack as “unacceptable”, reiterating that the country’s territorial integrity is “a red line.”
“The security of the people and the territorial integrity of the country are considered Iran's red lines. Iran expects its friendly and brotherly neighbor, Pakistan, to adhere strongly to its commitments in preventing the establishment of bases and groups of armed terrorists on Pakistani soil,” the ministry said in a statement.
The statement said that Iran’s Tuesday missile attack on a terrorist position in Pakistan’s Balochistan was a “preemptive operation” after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces in southeastern Iran observed that a terrorist group was preparing to infiltrate Iranian territory to carry out an attack.
“The IRGC conducted preemptive operations against this terrorist group at their base…. kilometers away from residential areas. This action is part of the inherent duties of Iranian border forces to counter any imminent terrorist threats against the people and citizens of the country,” it added.
“Iran consistently adheres to its neighborly policy and will not permit enemies and terrorist sympathizers to obscure these relations, especially at a time when the issue of genocide and crimes of the Zionist regime is a primary concern for the Islamic world,” the statement said.
The full text of Iran's foreign ministry is as follows:
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
The Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the recent incidents on the Pakistan border
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns Pakistan’s unbalanced and unacceptable drone attack on non-Iranian villagers on the border of the two countries.
At the same time, the Islamic Republic of Iran adheres to the policy of good neighborliness and brotherhood between the two nations and the two governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan. It does not allow enemies to strain the amicable and brotherly relations of Tehran and Islamabad.
The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the security of its people and its territorial integrity as a red line and strongly expects the friendly and brotherly government of Pakistan to adhere to its obligations in preventing the establishment of bases and the deployment of armed terrorist groups on its soil.
On Tuesday, 16 January 2024, the Border Taskforce of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force, situated in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, took a preventive action against a terrorist group preparing to infiltrate the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran to carry out another terrorist operation similar to the criminal and terrorist attack in Rask. The action was carried out against the terrorist group's barracks and headquarters located in the heights of the region, kilometers away from residential areas––a procedure which is part of the inherent duties of the border forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran to “proportionately deal” with any “imminent terrorist threat” against the people and citizens of the country.
It is emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran differentiates between Pakistan's friendly and brotherly government and armed terrorists. The Islamic Republic of Iran always adheres to its policy of good neighborliness and does not allow its enemies and terrorist allies to strain these relations, especially when the genocide and crimes of the Zionist regime are the foremost issue affecting the Islamic world.