Pakistan-Iran border woes: A timeline of tensions in the past 5 years

Here’s a look at some of the significant incidents that the two nations have navigated in the past few years.

📌 December 2023: Eleven Iranian police officers were killed and several others injured in an attack on a police station in Rask city in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan Province, with the Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) claiming responsibility for the attack. Jaish al-Adl is a militant group fighting for Baluch independence. It has been termed a “terror” group by Iran, which holds Pakistan, among other nations, of supporting the militants.

However, following the Rask attack, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement condemning it, saying, “Pakistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack at Rask Police HQs in the Southeastern region of Iran, which killed 11 Iranian officials and injuring several others. We extend heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the swift recovery of the injured. Pakistan stands in full solidarity with the Government and brotherly people of Iran in this hour of unspeakable tragedy. Terrorism is a threat to regional as well as global peace and security and it needs to be confronted by all means including through bilateral and regional co-operation.”

📌June 2023: Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack on a security forces check post in the Singwan area of Balochistan province along the Pakistan-Iran border. A statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Pakistani officials are “in communication with Iranian authorities” on the matter, reported Pakistani daily Dawn.

📌 April 2023: Four Pakistani soldiers were killed in a cross-border attack by “terrorists operating from Iranian side” in the Jalgai Sector of Kech district, the ISPR said in a statement. “Necessary contact with Iranian side is being made for effective action against terrorists on the Iranian side and to prevent such incidents in future,” the statement said. 

📌January 2023: Four Pakistani security personnel were killed during terrorist activity” from across the Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan’s Panjgur district, reported Dawn citing ISPR. The militants had used Iranian soil to “target a convoy of security forces patrolling along the border,” said the ISPR. Then-Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attack, adding, “We expect Iran will ensure that its soil is not used for cross-border attacks.”

I strongly condemn killing of our 4 security officials in a terrorist incident along Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan. Nation pays homage to the sacrifices of their martyred soldiers in line of duty. We expect Iran will ensure that its soil is not used for cross border attacks

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 18, 2023

📌 September 2021: In late September, Pakistan said that one of its soldiers was killed and another injured in a cross-border firing from Iran in the Chukab area of the southwestern Balochistan province. The incident came a day after Iran and Pakistan had reopened their borders for bilateral trade after a four-month closure.

📌 April 2019: 14 Pakistanis were killed in Balochistan’s Makran as militants, allegedly belonging to Iran-based Raji Aajoi Sangar separatist group, opened fire at bus passengers after checking their documents to make sure that they were non-Balochs. Of the 16 people who were shot, two escaped.

📌December 2018: Two police officials were killed and 48 others injured in a suicide bomb attack in Iran’s Chabahar city. Iran Foreign Minister had blamed “foreign-backed terrorists” for the attack, warning that “such crimes won’t go unpunished”. Then-Pakistani Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Faisal had condemned the attack, as per media reports.

📌October 2018: Twelve Iranian security officers were abducted near the Pak-Iran border, with Jaish al-Adl claiming responsibility for the act. As per a report in Dawn, they were abducted near Lulakdan, a village 150 kilometres southeast of the capital of Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province. At least five of the abductees were recovered with Pakistan’s help, and then-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi blamed the kidnapping on “common enemies unhappy with the existing close, friendly relations between Pakistan and Iran,” reported Dawn.