Iranian FM opens new consulate in Damascus following Israeli strike

The Iranian flag is raised over the new consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 8, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian opened a new consulate building in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Monday, following the destruction of the previous consulate by an Israeli strike last week.

Amir-Abdollahian, alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, attended the inauguration ceremony of the new consulate, situated next to the previous building that was demolished by an Israeli missile attack just days ago.

Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Damascus on Monday afternoon for his first visit to the country since the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate on April 1. The attack killed senior leaders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a veteran commander who led the IRGC foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, in Syria and Lebanon.

During his visit to Damascus, Amir-Abdollahian held meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, and the officials in the Syrian National Security.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Amir-Abdollahian reaffirmed that Israel will receive "the necessary response" for its attack on the consulate, while also blaming the United States for the incident.

The lack of condemnation by the United States of the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus indicated that "Washington has given the green light to Israel to commit this crime," he said, noting the attack "was carried out using American fighter jets and missiles."

Moreover, the minister reiterated that the Israeli attack "will not go unanswered."

For his part, Mekdad slammed the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate as a violation of international law and all the values on which humanity stands.