Oman, Qatar, UAE condemn strike on Iranian consulate in Damascus

By Ahmed Asmar

Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned an airstrike Monday on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus.

The foreign ministries of the Gulf countries issued separate statements denouncing the incident but without pointing to anyone behind the attack.

The Omani Foreign Ministry considered the attack a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and of all laws and diplomatic immunity.

It stressed the need to stop escalation in the region, its rejection of aggression and all acts that threaten security and stability.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the attack, calling it "a blatant violation of international agreements and charters and diplomatic norms that criminalize attacks on diplomatic missions headquarters."

The ministry offered Qatar's condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Iran, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Meanwhile, the UAE's Foreign Ministry in a brief statement "condemned the targeting of the Iranian diplomatic mission in the Syrian capital, Damascus."

Iran accused Israel of being behind the airstrike on the consulate building next to the Iranian embassy in Damascus that killed two Iranian generals and five officers in the country's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Gen. Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.

The attack came amid heightened tensions in the region over Israel’s onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 32,800 Palestinians and spawned a major humanitarian crisis.