Current location:world >>
Attack on Iranian consulate in Syria condemned
world92641People have gathered around
IntroductionThe airstrikes that destroyed Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, and killed at least 10 people lat ...
The airstrikes that destroyed Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, and killed at least 10 people late on Monday have been widely condemned as a violation of international law and Syrian sovereignty, and are seen as a possible trigger for escalating regional tensions amid the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
The 30-year-old consulate building, located next to the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, was attacked with missiles purportedly fired by Israel.
While neither the Israeli Prime Minister's Office nor the Israel Defense Forces has commented on the airstrikes, The New York Times cited unnamed Israeli officials as confirming Israel's role in the attack.
The attack killed Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Zahedi's deputy, Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, according to state-run media outlet Tasnim News Agency.
This is the first military attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound, although Israeli airstrikes have hit so-called Iran-related targets in Syria a number of times, including those on Sunday that resulted in civilian casualties, Xinhua News Agency cited the Syrian Defense Ministry as saying.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the Israeli attack on Iran's consulate in Syria "is a violation of all international obligations".
In a phone conversation on Monday with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad, he said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "has completely lost his mental balance "because of the "consecutive failures of the Israeli regime in Gaza", Iran's Mehr News Agency reported.
Mekdad, who visited the attack site in Damascus, also strongly condemned Israel's "aggression", Xinhua reported.
In a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN Security Council President for April Vanessa Frazier on Monday, Zahra Ershadi, ambassador and charge d'affaires of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN, called upon the Security Council to "take all necessary measures" to address "this egregious violation".
"These horrific crimes and cowardly terrorist attacks are a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises," Ershadi said in the letter, urging the UN to "ensure that those responsible for such criminal acts are swiftly brought to justice".
"Considering the far-reaching international implications of such a reprehensible act, which can exacerbate tensions in the region and potentially ignite more conflict involving other nations, the Islamic Republic of Iran urges the Security Council to condemn this unjustified criminal act and terrorist attack perpetrated by the Israeli regime in the strongest terms possible," the letter added.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that Beijing condemns the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
"The security of diplomatic missions brooks no violation, and Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be respected," he said on Tuesday at a regular news conference in Beijing.
Wang added that amid the current volatile situation in the Middle East, China opposes any actions that could escalate tensions.
Meanwhile, Syrian and Iranian protesters burned flags of Israel and the United States, blaming the latter for supporting Israel and calling for "forceful responses" to the attack. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said the country has the right to retaliate.
Several other nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, condemned the airstrikes.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed in a statement its "categorical rejection of targeting diplomatic facilities for any justification and under any pretext", adding that the attack was "a violation of international diplomatic laws and the rules of diplomatic immunity".
The Qatari Foreign Ministry said it considers the attack a "flagrant violation" of international agreements and diplomatic norms that "criminalize attacks on the premises of diplomatic missions". It also urged the need to provide better protection for diplomatic and consular missions under the rules of international law.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "We strongly condemn this unacceptable attack against the Iranian consular mission in Syria."
Abdalfatah Asqool, a lecturer on international law at the University of Palestine, told China Daily that the attack on the Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus is "a violation of sovereignty of both Iran and Syria", as the land on which the attack took place is considered a part of the Iranian territory according to international law.
"According to international humanitarian law, this Israeli attack is classified as a crime of aggression," he added.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“International Iterations news portal”。http://www.videocameralive.com/article-24f399960.html
Related articles
Scarred UNESCO World Heritage site Jiuzhaigou recovers after quake
worldThis file photo taken in 2020 shows Pei Xiangjun and his team providing instructions on the usage of ...
【world】
Read moreChinese embassy in U.S. hosts Discover Beijing Opera cultural event
world(Xinhua) 13:39, October 17, 2023WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in the United St ...
【world】
Read moreSemiautomatic firearm ban passes Colorado's House, heads to Senate
worldDENVER (AP) — Colorado’s Democratic-controlled House on Sunday passed a bill that would ban the sale ...
【world】
Read more
Popular articles
Latest articles
Duo charged with murder in killings of couple whose remains were found scattered on Long Island
Tantalize your taste buds with Belt and Road cuisines!
Zambia to sensitize locals to China
Suki Waterhouse reveals the gender of her new baby while performing on
Convicted robber, 45, admits stabbing charity busker, 87, while riding his mobility scooter
Masataka Yoshida hits 1 of 3 homers for the Red Sox, who beat Angels 5
LINKS
- Iowa lawmakers address immigration, religious freedom and taxes in 2024 session
- Travis d'Arnaud homers again and Bryce Elder shuts down Marlins in Braves' 3
- MLB players' union asks court to confirm arbitration decision against Bad Bunny firm
- Cruz breaks slump with 3 hits, Jones cruises as Pirates beat Brewers 4
- Vista Outdoor, Salesforce rise; Tesla, Cardinal Health fall, Monday, 4/22/2024
- Aho, Martinook cap Hurricanes' late rally to beat the Islanders for a 2
- Hybrid rice market expands in Asia
- Elon Musk accuses Australia of censorship over Sydney church stabbing video
- Haiti health system nears collapse as medicine dwindles, gangs attack hospitals and ports stay shut
- Exhibition on Italian art, design opens in Chongqing