Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Programme Lisa Curtis at CNAS has warned that heightened tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and Iran have raised concerns in the United States, with fears of the situation spiralling out of control.
In an interview with VOA Deewa, Curtis, a seasoned foreign policy and national security expert, highlighted the motive behind Iran’s recent incursion into Pakistan, linking the move to a retaliatory response following the double suicide bombing on January 3, an attack claimed by Dai’sh.
“So I think Iran needed to show that it will strike back when attacked and Pakistan, in some ways, is viewed as an easier target, allowing Iran to show its people a retaliatory response to the terrorist attack without provoking Israel or the US,” Curtis said.