UN Secretary General Warns Of "Bad Consequences" In The Event Of Escalation In The Middle East

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. (Source: UN/Eskinder Debebe)

JAKARTA - United Nations Secretary-General Ant Totalio Guterres condemned the deadly attack on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Syria, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.

Secretary General Guterres reiterated the importance of following international law and not targeting diplomatic or consular locations or personnel.

"He warned any calculational error could lead to wider conflict in already volatile territory, with devastating consequences for civilians who have suffered unprecedented suffering in Syria, Lebanon, the occupied territories of Palestine, and the Middle East," the statement read.

Given the precarious situation in the Middle East, Secretary General Guterres asked all parties involved to refrain from further escalation.

He also stated that all countries have an obligation to uphold commitments based on international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as urge to avoid actions that could endanger civilians or civil infrastructure.

Iran and Syria accused Israel of bombing the embassy complex in Syria on Monday, which killed at least seven Tehran military officials. Iran promised to retaliate.

President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday Iran would retaliate against an airstrike suspected of being carried out by Israel against its consulate and killed seven of the country's military officials in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

"After failing to destroy the will of the resistance front, the Zionist regime (Israel) has put killing blindly back on its agenda to save itself. The Zionist regime must know that it will never achieve its goals and this coward crime will not be irresponsible," President Raisi said, according to state media.

The attack killed at least seven Iranian military officials, including Brigadier General Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a top official at the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and senior commander Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.

On the other hand, the Israeli military told CNN that they did not comment on foreign reports, but a military spokesman said Israel believed the targets being targeted were "the military buildup of Quds troops," an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit responsible for foreign operations.

"I repeat, this is not a consulate and this is not an embassy. This is a military building of Quds troops posing as a civilian building in Damascus," said Rear Admiral Daniel Allahhi in an interview with CNN.