Missile attack on Iranian consulate in Damascus

The building of the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital was hit by a missile attack on Monday, April 1. The attack killed 11 people, including 2 generals and 5 military advisers of the Iranian Armed Forces. Tehran called the missile strike a terrorist act, blaming Israel for the attack. Iranian authorities said they reserve the legal right to respond forcefully to Israel. A number of states condemned the attack on the Iranian consulate, while Russia requested a meeting of the UN Security Council, BelTA reports.

Information about the attack on the Mezzeh neighborhood in the west of Damascus, where the Iranian consulate is located, was received in the evening on April 1. According to IRNA news agency, 6 missile strikes were launched from F-35 fighter jets of the Israeli Air Force.

The Syrian Defense Ministry also soon reported the attack. According to the agency, the Israeli Air Force struck from the direction of the Golan Heights. Some of the Israeli missiles were shot down by Syrian air defense forces.

The Defense Ministry also reported that the consulate building was completely destroyed. Everyone inside was killed or injured.

According to the latest data, 11 people were killed in the attack. Among them, according to TASS, IRGC Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and his deputy, IRGC General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rah.

Iranian Ambassador to Syria Hosein Akbari said that Israel attacked Iran's diplomatic mission building for the first time in history. These actions will entail a decisive response from Tehran. He did not specify what kind of retaliatory measures we are talking about.

Iran's mission to the UN called the airstrike a "terrorist act" and called for an urgent meeting of the Security Council of the world organization.

The Iranian permanent mission to the UN said in a statement that Tehran reserves the legal right to respond to the airstrike on the consulate.

Meanwhile, Tehran blames the attack not only on Israel, but also on the US. In this regard, a Swiss embassy official was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry as a representative of US interests in Iran. "An important message has been sent to the US government as a supporter of the Israeli regime. The US should be held accountable," the Iranian foreign minister wrote on social network X.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held a meeting of the country's Supreme National Security Council in connection with the attack on the consulate in Damascus. The council's press office said in a statement that "relevant decisions" were taken during the meeting. No details were given.

In the Iranian capital, hundreds of people demonstrated after news of the strike on the Iranian consulate. Participants chanted anti-Israeli and anti-American slogans.

In connection with the strike on the Iranian consulate, the Russian Foreign Ministry called on the international community to give an appropriate legal assessment of the actions of Israel.