Blinken asks China, others to rein in Iran on Israel
by AFP Staff Writers
Washington April 11, 2024

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has asked China's foreign minister and other counterparts to use their influence to dissuade Iran from striking Israel, the State Department said Thursday. Blinken spoke by telephone over the past day to his Chinese, Turkish, Saudi and European counterparts "to make clear that escalation is not in anyone's interest and that countries should urge Iran not to escalate," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. Blinken also spoke by telephone with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant "to reiterate our strong support for Israel against these threats," Miller said. Iran's clerical leadership has vowed to retaliate after an Israeli strike on April 1 leveled an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus, killing seven members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards including two generals. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that the United States has "warned" Iran over its threats to Israel. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that US support for Israel's security was "ironclad," despite his criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct of the war in Gaza. The United States has repeatedly made public appeals for China, seen as its top long-term global rival, to do more to address the Middle East crisis, including through pressure on Iran, which supports Hamas. Beijing in turn has criticized the United States as biased toward Israel. Kremlin calls on Iran and Israel to exercise 'restraint'
Moscow (AFP) April 11, 2024 - Moscow on Thursday called on Iran and Israel to exercise restraint amid spiralling tensions in the Middle East.

Tehran has issued fresh threats against Israel over a strike earlier this month that killed two Iranian generals, triggering US President Joe Biden to pledge "iron-clad" support for Israel on Wednesday.

"It is very important for everybody to exercise restraint in order not to destabilise the region, which is already not gifted with stability or predictability," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Russia has previously condemned Israel's conduct in its six-month war in Gaza.

Moscow had traditionally tried to maintain relations with all major powers in the Middle East.

But the Gaza conflict has dented its ties with Israel and it has already been strengthening military and political ties with Iran.

Peskov said Russia had not been approached as a potential mediator between the two arch rivals.

Top US general visits Israel amid Iran threat fears: Pentagon
Washington (AFP) April 11, 2024 - The top US commander for the Middle East is in Israel for talks with the country's military officials on security threats, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The visit comes amid fears that Iran will retaliate after an Israeli strike that killed seven members of Tehran's elite Revolutionary Guards, including two generals, in Syria earlier this month.

General Erik Kurilla is in Israel "to meet with key IDF leadership... (and) discuss the current security threats in the region," Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists.

Ryder said the trip was moved up from a previously scheduled date "due to recent developments."

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that Israel "must be punished and will be punished," while US President Joe Biden pledged "ironclad" support for its top regional ally.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meanwhile spoke Thursday with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, who told the Pentagon chief that a "direct Iranian attack will require an appropriate Israeli response against Iran."

The two "discussed readiness for an Iranian attack against the state of Israel," the country's defense ministry said in a statement, adding that Gallant "emphasized that the state of Israel will not tolerate an Iranian attack on its territory."

The Pentagon also released a statement on the call, saying Austin spoke with Gallant to "reiterate ironclad US support for Israel's defense in the face of growing threats from Iran and its regional proxies."

"Secretary Austin assured Minister Gallant that Israel could count on full US support to defend Israel against Iranian attacks, which Tehran has publicly threatened," it said.

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