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Pakistan strikes show Iran not 'well-liked' in region: Biden

The flare-up between Iran and Pakistan comes as the Middle East remains unsettled by Israeli war in Gaza, and on the heels of Iranian airstrikes late Monday in Iraq and Syria.

Reuters

Pakistan's military said it used drones, rockets, and "standoff weapons,” which are missiles fired from aircraft at a distance — likely meaning Pakistani fighter jets didn't enter Iranian airspace. / Photo: Reuters

US President Joe Biden has said air strikes by Pakistan and Iran on each other's territory showed Tehran was not "well-liked", as the White House warned against any escalation.

"As you can see, Iran is not particularly well liked in the region," Biden told reporters on Thursday at the White House when asked about the clashes.

Tensions between Islamabad and Tehran have soared after Iran struck alleged militant targets in Pakistan and Pakistan responded in kind.

The situation has also added to broader tensions in and around the Middle East, where Iran-aligned groups are in confrontation with Israel and the United States following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.

Biden said the United States was now trying to understand how the Iran-Pakistan situation would develop, adding: "Where that goes we're working on now - I don't know where that goes."

Pakistan vows to retaliate forcefully if Tehran continues 'misadventure'

Call for restraint

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the United States was monitoring the situation "very, very closely" and was in touch with Pakistani officials.

"These are two well-armed nations and again we don't want to see an escalation of any armed conflict in the region, certainly between those two countries," Kirby told journalists aboard Air Force One.

Islamabad had a right to defend itself after the initial strikes by Iran, which Tehran said had targeted an extremist group behind a series of attacks in Iranian territory.

Pakistan responded with strikes in Iran against what it said were separatist militants backing an insurgency in its restive southwestern province of Baluchistan.

"They were struck first by Iran, which was obviously another reckless attack, another example of Iran's destabilising behaviour in the region," added Kirby.

Kirby said he was "not aware" that Islamabad had notified Washington before striking Iran.

He would not comment when asked if the United States would provide support for Pakistan, which is a major non-NATO ally but long had tense relations with Washington over claims it covertly backed the Taliban in Afghanistan.