Tehran [Iran], April 2 : In the aftermath of a devastating attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed the tragic loss of seven of its officials, including senior commanders Mohammed Reza Zahedi and Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, CNN reported.
The attack, which rocked the Syrian capital, has left Iran reeling and vowing a robust response.
According to an official statement from the IRGC, the slain commanders were among those who perished in the assault. Haji Rahimi, described as a coordinator for the Quds Force, was identified as the second commander killed in the attack on Iran's consulate building in Damascus.
The other officials named in the statement include Hossein Aman Elahi, Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sedaghat, Ali Aghababaee, and Ali Salehi Roozbahani, as reported by CNN.
Iran has pointed fingers at Israel, alleging that the attack was carried out by Israeli forces using F-35 warplanes. Hossein Akbari, the Iranian ambassador in Damascus, condemned the assault as a violation of international laws and vowed that Iran would respond decisively.
"This is perhaps the first time that the Zionist regime allows itself to attack an official building of the Islamic Republic of Iran embassy, which had the flag of the Islamic Republic raised on top of it," Akbari asserted.
In response to the accusations, Israel has refrained from commenting directly on the Damascus strike. However, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a military spokesperson, disputed Iran's characterization of the targeted building, claiming it was not a consulate or embassy but rather a military structure of the Quds forces disguised as a civilian facility in Damascus.
As tensions escalate between the two regional adversaries, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, affirmed that Iran reserves the right to retaliate and will determine the nature of its response to the aggression, CNN reported.
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