UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned the Israeli strike on an Iranian consular annex building in Syria on Monday, his spokesman said, after the attack killed at least 13 people.
The UN chief emphasized the imperative of upholding the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel in accordance with international law, as stated by his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.
Meanwhile, Iran vowed retaliation for the attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus. Iran’s state TV reported that the country’s Supreme National Security Council, chaired by President Ebrahim Raisi, convened late Monday to decide on a response to the strike, although specifics were not provided.
The strike in Damascus marked an escalation, targeting an Iranian diplomatic mission. The attack killed General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, former leader of the elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016, alongside his deputy and five other officers, according to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
Hezbollah vowed retribution for the attack, affirming that the perpetrators would face punishment.
Iran, through its official news agency IRNA, conveyed a message to the United States late Monday, urging a meeting of the UN Security Council and holding the US, as Israel’s closest ally, accountable for the strike. The message was delivered via a Swiss envoy in Tehran, with Switzerland representing US interests in Iran.
Israel, which rarely confirms strikes against Iranian targets, refrained from commenting on the latest attack in Syria.
