Pakistan's envoy resumes diplomatic duties in Iran

Announcing his return in a post on social media platform X, Mudassir Tipu said he was en route to Tehran in "conformity with the sincere and good wishes of Pakistan's leadership."

"A strong Pakistan and Iran were critical for the region and to promote historic people-to-people ties," and it was "time to turn a new leaf," he noted.

In a joint press statement on Monday, Iran and Pakistan said they had mutually agreed that both countries' ambassadors would return to their respective posts by Friday.

The statement added that the decision had been made following the telephone conversation between Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

It said that Amir-Abdollahian would also pay a visit to Pakistan on January 29 at the invitation of Abbas Jilani.

Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moqaddam, who had left for Iran on January 16, would also most probably return to Pakistan on Friday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency.

On January 18, Pakistan carried out a missile strike on a border village in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

Also Read: Pakistan hits 'terrorist centres' in Iran after Tehran's airstrikes in Balochistan

The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Pakistani charge d'affaires in Tehran later in the day to voice Iran's official protest against Pakistan's military move.

The Pakistani strikes came after an Iranian attack killed two children and injured another three in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Pakistan condemned "Iran's violation of its airspace" and recalled its ambassador from Iran.

(With UNI/Xinhua inputs)