7 killed in Israeli strike on Iranian consulate in Syria

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members have been killed in an Israel airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, media reports said on Tuesday.

Tasnim news agency reported Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the Quds Force of IRGC and his deputy Gen. Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi were killed in Monday’s raid.

Reporters at the scene in Damascus’s Mezzeh district, where the consulate is located, saw smoke rising from rubble, and emergency vehicles parked outside.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian slammed the attack “as a violation of all international obligations and conventions” and blamed it on Israel.

He announced a Swiss embassy diplomat, who represents Washington’s interests in the absence of the US embassy in Tehran, was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry over the strike.

Through the Swiss embassy diplomat, an important message had been sent to the US government, a key supporter of the Israeli regime, the top diplomat said.”

In Tehran, foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani insisted Iran preserved the right to take reciprocal actions against the Israeli attack on its

Meanwhile, the Syrian foreign minister said: “We strongly condemn this heinous terrorist attack that targeted the Iranian consulate building, killing a number of innocent people.”

kk/mud

Views: 28