Pakistan Denies Joint Operations with Iran Against 'Jaish al-Adl'

Pakistan has denied conducting joint operations with the Islamic Republic of Iran against the group 'Jaish al-Adl' on Pakistani soil, which the group and some Iranian media had previously claimed. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, referred to reports of such joint operations between the Pakistani army and Iranian armed forces against 'Jaish al-Adl' as 'fake news' and rejected them. The group 'Jaish al-Adl', which is an armed Baloch opposition group to the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated on November 7 that 12 of its fighters were killed and four others wounded in 'joint airstrikes by Iran and Pakistan' in the Saravan border area. In addition to this group, some Iranian media also claimed that joint operations with Pakistan had taken place in the Balochistan region of Pakistan. IRNA, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reported that loud explosions were heard at the border of the two countries, attributed to 'joint actions against smuggling operations.' According to the spokesperson, Pakistani security forces conducted operations alone in the western area of Panjgur, 30 kilometers inside Pakistani territory, as part of their 'commitment to eradicate smugglers and terrorists.' 'Jaish al-Adl' reported the deaths of two senior commanders in the aforementioned bombing on November 7. The spokesperson of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated that the statements of terrorist groups should not be taken seriously. The group had previously claimed responsibility for the attack on November 26 on the police station in Goharkuh in the Taftan district of Sistan and Baluchestan, where 10 Iranian soldiers were killed, alleging that these forces had 'raided' the homes of local people protesting government policies, detained some residents, and sought to 'intimidate the people' from pursuing their demands. Sistan and Baluchestan, one of the poorest provinces in Iran, has experienced significant unrest over the 46 years of the Islamic Republic's existence due to drug trafficking gangs and conflicts with opposition groups. 'Jaish al-Adl,' which the Islamic Republic refers to as 'Jaish al-Zulm,' has played a role in the tensions and crises between the governments of Islamabad and Tehran through armed attacks, some of which are believed to originate from Pakistan. Despite having several trade agreements between them, Pakistan and Iran have a long history of tense relations, especially since Islamabad has consistently shown closeness to Washington and is a U.S. ally. Ten months ago, after missile attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Pakistan aimed at striking armed groups opposed to Tehran and their hideouts in Pakistani territory, and following a strong military reaction from the Pakistani army to this Iranian action, the two sides entered a serious crisis but later agreed to strengthen cooperation and coordination by reinforcing the border. Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, visited Islamabad this week, and according to the spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, both sides reiterated their commitment to enhancing coordination in border areas.