Iranian FM discusses Israeli attack on Iran's consulate in Syria

12/4/2024 5:58

        Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock held a phone conversation on Thursday to exchange views on Israel's deadly attack on Iran's consulate in Syria.
        In the phone conversation, the two sides also discussed bilateral relations and the latest regional developments, including the situation in Gaza, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
        Pointing to Israel's attack on April 1 on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran's foreign policy had always been based on staying away from tension. However, legitimate self-defense was a necessity when Israel, in breach of international law and relevant Vienna conventions, fully violated the immunity of diplomatic premises and personnel, he said.
        He added Iran expected Germany to explicitly condemn Israel's "recent crimes."
        Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Iranian foreign minister said, "The sole way to resolve the present problems is to end (Israel's) genocide and war crimes in Gaza," adding Palestinians had the legitimate right to self-defense.
        Meanwhile, Amir-Abdollahian said he welcomed the clarification of the existing misunderstandings, emphasizing that Tehran expected Berlin not to repeat its baseless accusations against Iran, and defend the rights of thousands of women and children in Gaza and other parts of the world, where women's rights were constantly being trampled.
        The German foreign minister, for her part, said, "Under the present circumstances where tension is high in the (West Asian) region, Germany requested Iran to exercise restraint."
        Following the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate, Germany explicitly underlined that diplomatic missions enjoyed complete immunity, she said.
        Moreover, Baerbock outlined the German government's ongoing efforts toward achieving a political solution to end the war in the Palestinian coastal enclave.
        In a separate phone call with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Thursday, Amir-Abdollahian slammed Britain for its inaction in condemning the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
        Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran had never sought to escalate tension in the region, but in the face of Israel's "terrorist attack" on the Iranian consulate, the silence of the U.S. and Britain would encourage Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue and expand its warmongering in the region.
        Pointing to the regional tensions, Cameron urged Iran to exercise restraint, emphasizing the potential expansion of conflicts if either party fails to exercise restraint.
        The two sides also discussed bilateral ties and the latest regional developments, including the situation in Gaza and the tensions in the Red Sea.