The White House said on the 11th local time that it had persuaded Iran not to launch retaliatory strikes against Israel through multiple channels to avoid escalating regional tensions. On the same day, the media revealed that the Iranian side also sent a message to the US side and put forward a number of demands on de-escalating the situation.
Limited blows?
△ The consular section building of the Iranian Embassy in Syria was attacked
The building of the consular section of the Iranian Embassy in Syria in Damascus, the capital of Syria, was hit by a missile attack on the 1st, killing many people, including senior commanders of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran said the attack was carried out by Israel, warning it would be "punished."
△White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre (data map)
Asked if there was direct communication between the U.S. and Iran about the airstrike, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said: "We told Iran that the U.S. had no connection to the attack in Damascus. We have warned Iran not to use this attack as a pretext to further escalate the situation in the region or to attack U.S. facilities and personnel. ”
"We certainly don't want this conflict to escalate. Jean-Pierre said.
Reuters reported on the 11th, citing a number of "Iranian sources" who did not want to disclose their identities, that during Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian's visit to Oman on the 7th, the Omani side sent a message to the US side, saying that Iran is willing to cool down the situation, but a number of conditions must be met, including a continuous ceasefire in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, the resumption of negotiations on the resumption of the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement.
Iran's demands also include that the United States refrain from intervening after Iran carries out "limited strikes" against Israel in the future. The above-mentioned source said that the US side refused to accept this condition, called on the Iranian side to exercise restraint and seek a diplomatic solution, and said that if Iran directly attacked Israel, the US side would provide support to the Israeli side.
Exercise restraint?
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on the 11th that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had phone calls with foreign ministers of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the past 24 hours, asking them to persuade Iran to avoid escalating the situation. In addition, the US side has been sending this message to Iran through some "European allies and partners" in the past few days. "The escalation of tensions is not in Iran's interests, nor is it in the interests of the region and the world. Miller said.
△Iranian Foreign Minister Abdollahian (data map)
The US Akseos News Network reported on the 11th with a "direct insider" as a source that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was entrusted by the US government to call Iranian Foreign Minister Abdollahian on the same day, and the conversation lasted for 90 minutes, mainly to discuss the recent tense situation. According to the person familiar with the matter, Abdollahian said that Iran is determined to retaliate against Israel, but the scale is "limited" and "appropriate".
The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed the call. Abdollahian told Baerbock that Israeli air strikes on Iranian diplomatic institutions violated international law and that "legitimate defense aimed at punishing the aggressor is of paramount importance."
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also spoke with Abdollahian on the 11th. Cameron said via social media that he was deeply concerned that the "miscalculation" could lead to a further escalation of violence.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said on the 11th that Abdollahian also had phone calls with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Turkey and Qatar.
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on the same day that the attack on Iran's diplomatic institutions violated international law, but "it is very important now that all parties exercise restraint so as not to completely destabilize the situation in the region."
Be prepared
△Netanyahu (data map)
Israel has said it will respond with force in the event of a retaliatory strike by Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned after inspecting an air base in southern Israel on the 11th: "Whoever hurts us, we will hurt whomever we want." Israeli Defense Minister Yoaf Galant said in a phone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on the same day that if Israel is "directly attacked" by Iran, it will "return fire accordingly."
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Israeli civilians are not being asked to prepare for Iranian retaliation, but that Israel is "prepared to respond to any situation."
Israel has called up reservists to strengthen its air defenses and suspended leave for all combat force personnel.
According to information released on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Israel on the 11th, the outside activities of embassy staff and their families have been restricted.
The commander of the US Central Command, Michael Eric Kurilla, arrived in Israel on the same day. The US Department of Defense said that "due to recent developments," Curilla has advanced his visit and will discuss "regional security threats" with the Israeli side.