Pedersen condemns Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen condemned on Tuesday Israel’s targeting of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which killed a top commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In a statment Pedersen condemned the “attack on Iran’s diplomatic premises in Damascus,” calling on all “concerned exercise utmost restraint and avoid further escalation.”
Pedersen stressed that “the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases in accordance with international law.”
On Monday, Israeli airstrikes targeted the Iranian consulate building in Damascus, which is adjacent to the main embassy building, killing two IRGC generals and five officers, said the IRGC in an official statement. The strikes killed Mohammad Reza Zahedi, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.
Pedersen voiced alarm over any miscalculation that “could lead to broader conflict with extremely grave consequences for Syria and the region.”