By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
Iran is convinced that Pakistan is doing nothing to stop militants from attacking its territory.
Iran accused Pakistan of allowing militants to enter its eastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan after an attack on Iranian border guards last week killed two border police officers and injured many others. This means that in the past few months, officials in all four of Pakistan’s neighbors – Afghanistan, China, India, and Iran – have accused Pakistan of allowing militants to enter their borders from its territory. It is unclear as to whether Pakistan has no control over militant groups on its border with Iran due to design or inability. Regardless, Iran is upset with Pakistan for allowing sanctuaries to continue to exist within its borders.
Tensions have increased further due to the fact that Iranian forces entered Pakistan last week to fight militants whom Tehran believes Pakistan has done nothing to curb. This resulted in a clash with Pakistani border guards in which a Pakistani paramilitary officer was killed. Pakistan, however, had denied Iran’s allegations that militants attacked Iran from Pakistan and asked Iran not to “externalize its problems.”
The militants who attacked Iran are ethnic Baloch, an Iranian (the Baloch language is related to Persian) Sunni ethnic group that lives in the eastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan and the western Pakistani province of Balochistan. Baloch militants have been attacking Iran from both Pakistan and from inside of Iran for several years, but these attacks have been increasing lately. The militants are organized into several groups including Jundallah and Jaish ul-Adl. Iran has accused Saudi Arabia of funding Jaish ul-Adl and Pakistan of turning a blind eye to them. Both Iran and Pakistan have summoned each other’s ambassadors, and demanded explanations.
Read the full story at The Diplomat