Link to article:https://www.usip.org/publications/2024/01/making-sense-iran-pakistan-cross-border-strikes
On January 16, 2024, Iran launched missile strikes into Pakistan’s Baluchistan province targeting the group Jaish al-Adl which Iran claims operates from Pakistan. With Jaish al-Adl being mostly composed of Ethnic Baluch Sunni and Iran being mostly Shia causing tension between the two. This action was part of a much bigger escalation with Iran also hitting Iraq and Syria. Pakistan also launched its own missile and fighter jets that striked Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan Province, located in southeastern Iran that is home to a large population of ethnic Baluch Sunnis.
This article highlights several reasons for Iran’s choices toward Pakistan including Pakistan’s alleged harboring of anti iran militants and its close ties with Saudi Arabia, UAE and the US all adversaries of iran. Pakistan faces a dilemma as it must balance this new conflict with its ongoing tensions with India and Afghanistan. This is a significant shift as Iran and Pakistan have maintained a functional and complex relationship. These strikes have also raised concerns about broader regional instability. Now China has had to step in and mediate the two nations but despite this help from China tensions still remain. Showing that even with support from different countries the conflict has no change and might not ever come to and end between the Sunni and Shia.
In the realm of international relations the conflict highlights the tensions between Iran and Pakistan that keeps esulating to current day. China is now trying to calm the situation because of its strong economic interests in both Iran and Pakistan. Through projects like the China Pakistan economic corridor. That’s aiming to boost economic growth, Energy development, improved infrastructure, port development, and improved trade routes. Now if this conflict keeps getting worse the chinese will pull out of this economic corridor making all these new innovations that will tremendously change this region be put to an end.