UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. UN chief condemns attack on Iranian consulate building in Damascus Peace and Security
The UN Secretary-General condemns the attack on the diplomatic premises of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus yesterday. This was announced on Tuesday by the press secretary of the UN chief Stephane Dujarric.
“The Secretary-General reaffirms,” he said, “that the principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases.”
By According to media reports, a strike on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus killed seven members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals. Iran and Syria blamed Israel for the strike.
António Guterres on Tuesday reminded all sides of the need to respect their obligations under international law, including humanitarian law. He also reiterated his calls to all parties involved to avoid attacks that could harm civilians and damage civilian infrastructure.
The Secretary-General warned that in the current environment, any miscalculation could lead to an expansion of conflict in an already fragile region – with devastating consequences for civilian populations, who are “experiencing unprecedented suffering in Syria, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and throughout the Middle East.”