Pakistan on Wednesday decided to recall its ambassador from Iran after Tehran targeted strongholds of the Salafi militant group, Jaish al-Adl, in the Panjgur district of Balochistan with missiles and drones in an apparent bid to avenge the killing of 11 Iranian police officers is Sistan-Baluchestan last month by the Islamist group.

Announcing a slew of measures to demonstrate Islamabad’s anger over the violation of its sovereignty by Iran, the Pakistani foreign office also asked Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan — who is currently in Iran —not to return for the time being. It has decided to suspend all high-level visits between the two countries.

Hours before Tehran struck inside Balochistan, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had met Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Iran sought to douse tempers on Wednesday by insisting that it had targeted an “Iranian terrorist group’’ inside Pakistan.

In Davos, the Iranian foreign minister was quoted by Arab News as saying: “None of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. The so-called Jaish Al-Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted.”

India’s exernal affairs ministry spokesman said: “This is a matter between Iran and Pakistan. Insofar as India is concerned, we have an uncompromising position of zero tolerance towards terrorism.”