Security Council to convene over Israeli attack on Iranian consulate

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Apr 2024 05:02

The Iranian Mission to the UN affirms that Tehran has the right to take action as a response to the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Emergency personnel extinguish a fire at the site of strikes which hit a building next to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus, on April 1, 2024. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)

The Iranian Foreign Minister announced early Tuesday that a Swiss embassy official, who represents Washington's interests in the absence of the US embassy in Iran, was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry over the Israeli aggression that targeted the country's consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday.

"Against the backdrop of the terrorist attack by the Israeli regime on the diplomatic building of the consulate of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus and the death of a number of our country’s military advisers, tonight at 00:45, an official of the Swiss embassy, as a defender of US interests in Iran, was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry," Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on X.

Through the Swiss embassy official, "an important message was sent to the US government as a supporter of the Israeli regime," the top diplomat mentioned, stressing that "the US must be held accountable."

On Monday evening, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) condemned the Israeli aggression and mourned the commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria, General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and Brigadier General Mohammad-Hadi Haji-Rahimi, as well as IRGC officers Hossein Amanollahi, Seyyed Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sadaghat, Ali Agha Babaei, and Seyyed Ali Salehi Rouzbahani.

In a related context, the Iranian Mission to the United Nations affirmed on Monday that Iran has the right to take action as a response to the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

"The aggressor Zionist regime bears full responsibility for its consequences and the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its legitimate and inherent right under international law and the United Nations Charter to take a decisive response to such reprehensible acts," the statement said.

It also asked to convene a UN Security Council meeting, describing the Israeli attack on the consulate as "a huge violation of international law."

Later, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, confirmed on Telegram that a Security Council meeting to discuss the Israeli attack will be held on Tuesday at Russia’s request.