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Pakistan recalled its ambassador to Tehran and barred the Iranian ambassador to the country on Wednesday after Iran launched air strikes at targets on Pakistani territory.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokeswoman for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, announced that Islamabad was recalling its ambassador to Iran over the strikes.
“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,” she said in a televised address.
Ms Baloch said Pakistan had asked the Iranian ambassador, who was visiting Tehran when the attack took place, not to return.
“This violation of Pakistan's sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences,” the Foreign Ministry said.
It said the strike “resulted in the death of two innocent children while injuring three girls”.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry later said the Iranian strikes had "caused serious damage to bilateral ties".
Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani received a phone call from Iran's Hossein Amirabdollahian while on a visit to Uganda, the ministry said.
Mr Jilani "firmly underscored that the attack conducted by Iran inside Pakistani territory, on January 16, 2024, was not only a serious breach of Pakistan's sovereignty but was also an egregious violation of international law and the spirit of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iran", it added.
"Pakistan reserved the right to respond to this provocative act," it said, adding that no country should tread the "perilous path" of unilateral actions.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary General Antonio Guterres was "deeply concerned" about the Iranian strikes in Pakistan.
"He again appeals in the strongest possible term for restraint and avoidance of any further escalation," Mr Dujarric told reporters.
Iran says its target was 'Iranian terrorist group'
Mr Amirabdollahian said earlier in the day that his country's armed forces were aiming at an "Iranian terrorist group" in Pakistan.
"None of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones," he said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
"The so-called Jaish Al Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted," he said.
Iran's state-run Nour News agency said early on Wednesday the attack destroyed the Pakistan headquarters of Jaish Al Adl, a separatist militant group that has claimed attacks on Iranian security forces.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said two of the group's bases in Pakistan's Balochistan province were “specifically targeted and successfully demolished by a combination of missile and drone attacks” late on Tuesday, without saying who was behind the attack.
Mr Amirabdollahian said Iran's attack on "Pakistan's soil" was a response to the Jaish Al Adl group's recent deadly attacks in Iran, particularly on the city of Rask in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.
"The group has taken shelter in some parts of Pakistan's Balochistan province," he said, adding that "we've talked with Pakistani officials several times on this matter".
He said Iran respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan but would not "allow the country's national security to be compromised or played with".
Mr Amirabdollahian had met Pakistan's caretaker prime minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar hours before the strike on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry did not say where the attack took place but the media reported that it was near Panjgur in south-west Balochistan, which shares a 750km border with Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province.
Abdul Hameed, who is in charge of the government-linked paramilitary Levies force in the Kosab area, told The National that three missiles were fired at a home in Kosab village, in the Panjgur district of Balochistan.
Mr Hameed said two children were killed and four women were injured as a result of the strike.
“Only the house targeted in the strike was damaged, and there was no other damage to nearby places,” he said.
He said the home's owners had a business selling Iranian diesel.
“In border areas of Balochistan, local tickets are issued legally to the dealers, who cross the border into Iran and bring diesel for sale in local markets in Balochistan,” Mr Hameed said.
“The house is owned by three men, who are close relatives, who do the business of Iranian diesel and visit Iran from time to time. However, at the time of the attack, they were not at home and only children and women became the victims.”
Mr Hameed said he had not seen Jaish Al Adl militants in the area. But he said he had heard from locals about their movements.
“But the strike killed children and women, who were definitely innocent,” he said.
Fall-out from Iran strikes on Kurdish region
Meanwhile, Baghdad recalled its ambassador from Tehran on Tuesday over the missile strikes on the Iraqi Kurdish region on Monday, which Baghdad condemned as a “clear act of aggression”.
Four people were killed and six others wounded in the attack, said the Iraqi Kurdish region's security council.
Baghdad challenged Tehran's claim that the missiles were aimed at Israel's intelligence services in response to recent Israeli assassinations of Iranian and pro-Iranian commanders.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani discussed the attack with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Davos on Tuesday, according to the White House.
“Mr Sullivan and Mr Al Sudani discussed the importance of stopping attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria, and committed to enhancing security co-operation as part of a long-term, sustainable defence partnership,” its said.
Iraq filed a complaint against Iran at the UN Security Council, its Foreign Ministry said.
In two separate letters to the UN Secretary General and UN Security Council, the ministry “stressed that this aggression is a flagrant violation to the sovereignty of Iraq, its security and the security of the people of Iraq”.
Mr Al Sudani's National Security Adviser Qassim Al Araji, who is leading an investigation into the attack in Erbil, said Iran's “claims of targeting a Mossad headquarters are baseless”.
Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdish region, said in Davos that there was “no reason for these attacks and there is no excuse”.
“These attacks should not remain without a response,” he said.
The strikes come during heightened tensions in the region and fears of a spillover of the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
In an emergency session on Wednesday the Arab League discussed the Iranian strikes on Erbil and adopted a resolution to support Iraq, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Arab League presented and voted on a draft resolution for voting that condemns the Iranian aggression on Iraq and supports its rightful position in affirming respect for its sovereignty and security,” it added.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
SECRET%20INVASION
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Honeymoonish
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How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
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Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
It Was Just an Accident
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Rating: 4/5
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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