(CNN) — Iranian officials and state media say seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel killed in an airstrike on the country’s consulate in Damascus, Syria, including a top Iranian military commander, were responsible for the attack. The blame lies with Israel.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced that Mohamed Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed in the attack. Haji Rahimi was named as the second commander killed in the attack, according to a statement from the Revolutionary Guards shared by state news agency IRNA late Monday.
A statement from the Revolutionary Guards names five other killed personnel: Hossein Aman Elahi, Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sedaghat, Ali Aghababai and Ali Salehi Rousbahani. .
Photos from the scene showed people gathered around a collapsed building in the Syrian capital. Immediate footage of the explosion released by Iranian state media Press TV showed widespread damage, fire and smoke at the scene.
Speaking on camera to reporters in Damascus, Iranian Ambassador Hossein Akbari said the consulate building next to the Iranian embassy had been “targeted by six missiles from an Israeli F-35 fighter jet.” he claimed.
Among the dead were Iranian embassy staff and military advisers, he added. It is unclear whether any of the IRCG personnel were diplomatic personnel, and CNN is unable to independently verify the amount of damage or casualties.
In a separate interview, Akbari added that two Syrian police officers were among those injured in the attack, saying, “The Zionist regime authorizes an attack on the official building of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” This is probably the first time that has happened.” The flag of the Islamic Republic was hoisted above it. ”
Asked by CNN for comment on the incident, the Israel Defense Forces said it does not comment on foreign reports. However, a military spokesperson told CNN that Israel believes the Iranian building hit in the attack is a “Quds Force military building” and not a consulate.
“According to our information, this is neither a consulate nor an embassy. Again, this is neither a consulate nor an embassy. This is a military installation of the Quds Force disguised as a civilian building in Damascus,” Israel Defense Forces said. Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari told CNN’s Jim Shute.
Asked whether Israel was involved in the attack, Hagari said: “I’m not going to comment on that attack, but I want to say that in the last six months Iran has escalated in the region.” . She’s the main character. ”
“[Iran] It is the main actor committing atrocities in the region using proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen,” Hagari said.
“Iranian unmanned aircraft again this morning. [unmanned aerial vehicle] They attacked the Israeli base in Eilat,” Hagari claimed. “Iran is the agent of escalation.”
Warning against “reciprocal measures”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Qanani warned of possible “mutual measures” following the incident.
“Iran reserves the right to take reciprocal measures and decide on the type of response and punishment against the aggressor,” Qanani said, according to the Revolutionary Guard’s Fars news agency.
The foreign ministers of Iran and Syria also accused Israel of carrying out the attack, with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian calling it a “violation of all international obligations and treaties” and demanding a “serious response” from the international community. .
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad called the attack a “grave violation of international regulations, in particular the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” according to a recorded call with Foreign Minister Amir Abdullahian.
The slain commander, Zahedi, previously served as commander of the Revolutionary Guards Ground Forces, commander of the Revolutionary Guards Air Force, and deputy commander of Revolutionary Guards Operations.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a briefing Monday that the U.S. “has not identified any targets or parties responsible.”
“I don’t want to talk about it specifically before we gather information about what exactly this was,” Miller added. “But, of course, we are always concerned about anything that could lead to an escalation of conflict or an increase in conflict in the region.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN Wire
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