"Noted with concern": MEA on attack against Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria

Jaiswal stated that India is distressed by the escalating tensions in West Asia and their potential to fuel further violence and instability.

India has "noted with concern" the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises on Syria on April 1, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday. While addressing a weekly media briefing, Jaiswal stated that India is distressed by the escalating tensions in West Asia and their potential to fuel further violence and instability. He said that India urges all parties to avoid actions that are against the norms of international law.

Responding to a media query on the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria, he said, "We have noted with concern the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on 1 April 2024. India is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia, and their potential to fuel further violence and instability. We urge all parties to avoid actions that go against commonly accepted principles and norms of international law." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed the tragic loss of seven of its officials, including senior commanders Mohammed Reza Zahedi and Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi in the devastating attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus, CNN reported. The attack, which rocked the Syrian capital, has left Iran reeling and vowing a robust response.

According to an official statement from the IRGC, the slain commanders were among those who perished in the assault. Haji Rahimi, described as a coordinator for the Quds Force, was identified as the second commander killed in the attack on Iran's consulate building in Damascus. The other officials named in the statement include Hossein Aman Elahi, Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sedaghat, Ali Aghababaee, and Ali Salehi Roozbahani, as reported by CNN. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack, alleging that the attack was carried out by Israeli forces using F-35 warplanes.

The top Iranian commander, Zahedi, who is now dead, commanded the Quds Force's Unit 18000. Among other things, he was responsible for smuggling ammunition and precision weapons into Lebanon, according to The Jerusalem Post report. In the past, he had also commanded the IRGC's Air Force and Imam Hussein Division. Hossein Akbari, the Iranian ambassador in Damascus, condemned the assault as a violation of international laws and vowed that Iran would respond decisively.

"This is perhaps the first time that the Zionist regime allows itself to attack an official building of the Islamic Republic of Iran embassy, which had the flag of the Islamic Republic raised on top of it," Akbari asserted. The Iranian Embassy in Lebanon expressed anger over the alleged airstrike. It said, "This barbaric Israeli aggression is a flagrant violation of international laws, diplomatic norms, and the requirements of the Vienna Convention, The Jerusalem Post reported.

In response to the accusations, Israel has refrained from commenting directly on the Damascus strike. However, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a military spokesperson, disputed Iran's characterization of the targeted building, claiming it was not a consulate or embassy but rather a military structure of the Quds forces disguised as a civilian facility in Damascus. (ANI)

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