In efforts to prevent further escalation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged China’s foreign minister and other counterparts to leverage their influence to discourage Iran from launching an attack on Israel. The US aims to dissuade Iran from retaliating against Israel through unified statements affirming commitment to Israeli security while simultaneously working to avert the onset of a major regional conflict.
Despite these efforts, US officials remain concerned about the possibility of a direct Iranian missile or drone strike in the coming days in response to the Israeli bombing of an Iranian consular building in Damascus on April 1. This airstrike resulted in the death of a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guards general and six other Guard officers.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on Wednesday that Israel “must be punished and it shall be,” viewing the incident as an attack on Iranian territory. While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility, the Pentagon has acknowledged its involvement.
The US is hopeful that firm expressions of solidarity and support for Israel from President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken may dissuade Tehran from targeting Israel. Such an attack would represent a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, which has largely been waged through proxy battles or strikes in neighboring countries like Lebanon and Syria.
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Blinken engaged in phone conversations with counterparts from China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Europe to emphasize the importance of de-escalation and to urge these countries to encourage Iran to refrain from escalating tensions further, as stated by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a press briefing on Thursday.
Biden assured Israel of unwavering support, while Blinken reassured Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, of Washington’s commitment to stand against any threats posed by Iran and its allies.
The potential for conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, is cited by the Biden administration as a reason for resisting calls within the president’s party to limit arms sales to Israel amid its Gaza campaign.
Furthermore, the looming possibility of an Iranian retaliatory strike may be complicating efforts to secure a long-awaited hostage-ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Officials in Washington note that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s past actions indicate a propensity to incite regional conflict, potentially hindering progress toward a ceasefire amid heightened tensions.
Over the past two days, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has been in discussions with counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Turkey.
The Iranian minister further extended his diplomatic efforts by visiting Damascus to meet with Syrian counterparts and then proceeded to Oman, which serves as a potential intermediary for communication with the US. During his time in Muscat, Amir-Abdollahian criticized the US for its unequivocal support of Israel, labeling it as complicity in Israel’s alleged war crimes.
While in Oman, Amir-Abdollahian conveyed a message to Washington, asserting that Iran would not rush into action but would respond to Israel’s attack in a manner aimed at preventing a significant escalation, according to Reuters.
Both Russia and Germany emphasized the importance of exercising restraint in the current situation. In response, Lufthansa, one of the few western airlines still operating flights to Tehran, suspended its services to the Iranian capital, and Moscow cautioned Russian citizens against traveling to the Middle East.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock engaged in discussions with her Iranian counterpart, urging Tehran to exhibit restraint in its actions.
Despite the heightened tensions, Iranian reports of the diplomatic exchanges focused more on urging Gulf states to exert pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza rather than on discussing potential Iranian responses to the Israeli attack.
Amir-Abdollahian’s upcoming visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York next week suggests that an imminent Iranian missile attack on Israeli territory may not be imminent. However, there has been speculation about a potential strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
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