Iran warns retaliation after Israeli strike on consulate in Syria; protesters burn Israel, US flags (WATCH)

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian urged the international community to take action following the Israeli attack on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, which resulted in the death of a senior Guards commander and others.

Team Asianet Newsable

First Published Apr 2, 2024, 12:25 PM IST

During a telephone conversation with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, Amir-Abdollahian "blamed the consequences of this action on the Zionist regime and stressed the need for a serious response by the international community to such criminal actions", according to a statement by Iran's foreign ministry.

Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, described as "one of the senior commanders" in the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, "was martyred in an attack by Zionist regime fighters on the Islamic Republic of Iran's consulate building in Damascus, the state TV report.

Zahedi, aged 63, had served in various senior positions after joining the Guards more than four decades ago. Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian condemned the attack, labeling it as a violation of all international obligations and conventions.

"Netanyahu has completely lost his mental balance due to the consecutive failures of the Israeli regime in Gaza and not achieving the ambitious goals of the Zionists," Iran's top diplomat added.

He was referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose nation has been engaged in a nearly six-month-long conflict in the Gaza Strip with Hamas terrorists supported by Iran.

In a separate statement, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani "strongly condemned" the attack and said that Iran "reserves the right to carry out a reaction and will decide on the type of response and the punishment of the aggressor."

Earlier, Iran's ambassador in Damascus, Hossein Akbari, stated that the five-storey consulate building was targeted by Israeli F-35 fighter jets and struck with six missiles. Akbari did not disclose the source of his information regarding the aircraft. He pledged a "decisive response" to the attack, which resulted in the deaths of "at least five people, including three military personnel."

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Palestine Square in central Tehran on Monday for a night-time rally, waving flags of Iran and Palestine. The protesters called for "revenge" and chanted slogans including "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". AFP journalists present at the scene reported that Israeli and United States flags were burned during the demonstration.

Iran hailed Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, as a "success" but denied any direct involvement. Additionally, Iran-backed groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen have since carried out a series of attacks on Israeli and Western targets.

Last Updated Apr 2, 2024, 12:25 PM IST