PAKISTAN-Geo TV: Cabinet Decides To End Standoff w/Iran

Pakistani outlet Geo TV reporting that according to its sources, the Cabinet 'Has decided to end the standoff with Iran', and 'Endorsed a move to re-establish full diplomatic relations with Iran'. This comes after a call between Pakistani interim Foreign Minister Jalil Jalani and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian that sought to dampen down tensions.

• Geo TV: Jilani ..."expressed Pakistan’s readiness to work with Iran on all issues based on the spirit of mutual trust and cooperation. "He underscored the need for closer cooperation on security issues,".... Pakistan has also made it clear to the rest of the world that it does not intend to further exacerbate the situation, calling on Tehran to ensure that it respects Islamabad’s territorial sovereignty."
• The escalation in tensions between the neighbouring states has come as a result of missile strikes on militant groups on both sides of the border, with Iran hitting Sunni group Jaish al-Adl on 16 Jan. This was followed by a retaliatory strike by Pakistan on Shia militants based in Iran (the first airstrike on Iranian soil by warplanes since the Iran-Iraq war.
• As Reuters notes, the strikes were not linked to the ongoing state of political tension in the Middle East but instead to specific issues around the border regions. Nevertheless, the heightened state of feelings in Iran following the Kerman bombings, and the feisty election campaign in Pakistan can be seen to have contributed to the rapid escalation (and seeming de-escalation) of the situation.