No Need For Escalation': U.S. Urges Restraint As Pakistan, Iran Trade Strikes

As cross-border conflicts in the Middle East increase, the United States on Thursday urged Pakistan and Iran to avoid escalating tensions after the two countries exchanged air strikes, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"We don’t believe this should escalate in any way, shape, or form," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told daily briefing when asked by TURAN whether Washington will stand with its major non-NATO ally Pakistan against increasing threats from Tehran.

Miller went on to add, "Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of the United States. That will remain the case.  But we would urge restraint in this case.  We do not want to see escalation, and do not think there is any need for escalation."

As for Iran’s attacks, Miller said, "we’ve seen the consequences of the actions that Iran has taken to add to regional instability, and that’s why we continue to take actions to hold Iran accountable."
Pakistan on Wednesday responded with strikes in Iran against separatist militants backing an insurgency in its restive southwestern province of Baluchistan. The attacks were carried out with “drones, rockets, loitering munitions and standoff weapons,” according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry. It’s the latest in an escalating tit-for-tat that began after Iran hit Pakistan on Tuesday and killed two children.