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Report: Iran Seeks to Contain Escalation in Response to Syrian Consulate Attack
(www.improvethenews.org)
- Iranian sources have alleged that the country's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, has told the US that Iran intends to avoid a major escalation in tensions as it considers a response to Israel's alleged bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria. reuters.com (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- Amir-Abdollahian reportedly communicated his message through Oman. While the White House has declined to comment on the report, it revealed that it had confirmed to Iran that it wasn't involved in the airstrike on Damascus. The Business Standard
- This comes as Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated on Thursday that Israel was on "high alert" over a potential Iranian attack, and that the country was "ready in offensive and defensive with a variety of capabilities." IDF.IL
- Meanwhile, the US has restricted the travel of embassy personnel in Israel to greater Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Beersheba — citing an "abundance of caution" over a potential Iranian attack. BBC News
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been confirmed by the US Department of State to have spoken to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday, as well as the foreign ministers of Turkey, China, and Saudi Arabia in order to "send [a] really clear message to Iran" to "not escalate this conflict." Al Jazeera (LR: 2 CP: 1)
- Despite this, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed on Wednesday that Israel had "made a mistake" by committing the alleged attack, and that the country "must be punished." politico.com
Establishment-critical narrative:
- Israel's attack on Iran's Syrian consulate was a deliberate attempt to increase regional hostiles — with an Iranian response to such aggression inevitable. While Israel and Iran's proxy war has taken various forms over several years, Israel's actions may have irreversibly plunged the two nations into direct conflict.
MIDDLE EAST EYE
Pro-establishment narrative:
- Recent Iranian forays into Pakistan and clashes in Syria reveal the country's chaotic influence over a plethora of conflicts as part of a desperate bid for supremacy within the Middle East. Israel's targeted actions aim to deter Iran, while exposing its covert support for militias including Hamas to the international community.
DRYADGLOBAL
Nerd narrative:
- There is a 12% chance that a state-based conflict between Iran and Israel will cause at least 1K deaths before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)