The Balochistan separatist movement, long seen as a local or national security issue for Pakistan and Iran, has taken on new significance amid the Iran-Israel war of 2025. The ongoing conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv is reshaping the security dynamics of the region, creating opportunities for Baloch insurgents and raising fears in Islamabad and Tehran of a new cross-border front emerging from the chaos.
Balochistan’s Struggle for Autonomy
Balochistan, a vast and resource-rich region straddling Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, has been a center of unrest since 1948. When Pakistan annexed the princely state of Kalat that year, Baloch nationalists began a decades-long struggle for autonomy or independence.
In Pakistan, Baloch militants argue that their province remains politically marginalized despite contributing significantly to the national economy through natural gas, minerals, and the strategic Gwadar port. Repeated military crackdowns, enforced disappearances, and accusations of resource plunder have fueled insurgency cycles.
In Iran, the Baloch of Sistan-Baluchestan mostly Sunni in a Shiite-dominated state face what they describe as systemic discrimination. The group Jaish al-Adl, in particular, has waged an armed campaign against Tehran for years, targeting border posts, IRGC units, and infrastructure.
The Iran-Israel War: New Turmoil on Iran’s Periphery
Since early 2025, the region has been convulsed by war between Israel and Iran. Israeli strikes have targeted Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, and Tehran has retaliated with missile attacks and proxy warfare through Hezbollah and other allies. The war, unprecedented in scale and direct confrontation, is consuming Iran’s military bandwidth and destabilizing its internal security apparatus.
Iran’s eastern border, historically restive, is now at greater risk. As Tehran concentrates on defending against Israeli attacks, militant groups like Jaish al-Adl are exploiting the power vacuum in Sistan-Baluchestan.
Pakistan and Iran’s Shared Fears
Both Islamabad and Tehran see the confluence of these crises as deeply dangerous. In June 2025, Pakistan’s military leadership reportedly warned that Israel’s war on Iran could destabilize the Iran-Pakistan borderlands, enabling Baloch insurgents to expand operations.
The fear is not merely of localized unrest. Analysts and officials worry about:
A surge in cross-border attacks as militant groups exploit weakened state control.
The emergence of a transnational Baloch insurgency, with cooperation between Pakistani Baloch separatists and Iranian Baloch militants.
Threats to critical infrastructure like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar Port, essential to Pakistan’s economic future.
Allegations of External Manipulation
Iranian officials have gone further, accusing Israel of indirectly supporting militant attacks on its eastern flank. They claim that Baloch insurgents have timed operations to coincide with Israeli strikes, creating the impression of a coordinated multi-front challenge to Tehran.
While there is no hard public evidence of direct Israeli support for Baloch groups, the accusations reflect deepening suspicions. Pakistan, too, has long pointed fingers at foreign actors especially India, and now increasingly Israel accused of leveraging Baloch separatists to undermine Pakistan’s stability.
Baloch Militants: A Strategic Opportunity
For Baloch militant groups themselves, the Iran-Israel war is being framed as a historic opportunity. Jaish al-Adl and similar groups have issued statements describing Iran’s domestic chaos as a chance to advance the cause of Baloch self-determination. Militants are seeking to capitalize on Iran’s distraction and possible loss of territorial control.
The Risk of a Widening Regional Conflict
What is emerging is a dangerous triangle:
Iran, struggling to contain external attack and internal rebellion.
Pakistan, caught between supporting a neighbor and securing its own restive province.
Israel, pursuing military goals that could have unintended consequences across South Asia.
Any further destabilization of Iran’s border regions could transform the Iran-Israel war from a Middle Eastern conflict into a broader regional conflagration, drawing in Pakistan, affecting Afghanistan, and threatening critical global trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Conclusion
The Balochistan separatist movement is not directly allied with Israel in its war with Iran. Yet, the conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv is creating new space for Baloch insurgents to operate and fueling narratives of shared struggle among Baloch militants on both sides of the border. For both Iran and Pakistan, containing the fallout from this linkage will be as important as managing the direct military threats they face.
As the Iran-Israel war deepens, the fragile Iran-Pakistan border risks becoming the next fault line in a conflict whose consequences are already rippling far beyond the Middle East.
