White House: The United States has “nothing to do” with the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus

The United States assured on Tuesday that it had “nothing to do” with the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus attributed to Israel, an unprecedented attack that raises fears of an escalation of tensions in the region in the context of the war in the Gaza Strip, reports AFP.

“I had nothing to do with this strike in Damascus. We were not involved in any way,” the spokesman for the White House National Security Council, John Kirby, told reporters.

“The Iranian Foreign Minister’s comments that we should be held accountable or that we are to blame are simply absurd. We have nothing to do with it,” he added.

The American official was referring to the statements of the head of Iranian diplomacy, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. He announced that he sent “an important message” to the United States, which, “as supporters of the Zionist regime”, “must take responsibility”. The message, the content of which has not been disclosed, was sent through the affairs officer of the Swiss embassy in Iran, who represents American interests in the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to the minister.

The unprecedented attack, which took place on Monday, left at least 13 dead, including two important Iranian military officials, notes AFP, quoted by Agerpres.

The Revolutionary Guards, the Islamic Republic’s ideological army, mourned the death of seven of its members, including two generals from the Quds Force, which operates outside its borders.

Iran, which has vowed to retaliate, has blamed Israel for the attack, but the Israelis have not claimed responsibility.

However, Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on Tuesday that Israel had not informed the United States beforehand. “We have not been informed by the Israelis about their strike or the targeted target in Damascus,” Singh told reporters. “We have made it very clear to Iran, through private channels, that we are not responsible for this strike,” she said.

The White House also indicated that Washington takes “the protection of our troops and our facilities in Iraq and Syria very seriously.” “And as we’ve demonstrated in the past, as President Biden has made very, very clear through the actions he’s ordered, we’re going to do whatever it takes to protect these troops and facilities,” John Kirby said.

Monday’s attack is the first to target an Iranian diplomatic building in Syria, a country embroiled in civil war since 2011 where Iran and its allies support the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Editor: Liviu Cojan

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