Iran warns US not to fall into Israel's 'trap'
(Baonghean.vn) - Iran has warned the US to “stay away” from any potential conflict between Iran and Israel, while Washington warned Tehran not to target US facilities, Iranian Presidential Assistant Mohammad Jamshidi said on April 5.
“In a text message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warned the US leadership not to be drawn into Israel’s “trap” for the US: “Stay away so you don’t get hurt,” Jamshidi wrote on X. “In response, the US asked Iran not to target US facilities,” he added.
Iran accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of carrying out an airstrike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday, killing seven officers of the Quds Force of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including two generals. While the IDF follows its usual policy of neither confirming nor denying operations abroad, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant took responsibility when he said on April 3 that Israel “attacked our enemies throughout the Middle East.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation, saying Israel “will of course receive a slap in the face for this action.” The IDF responded by denying soldiers leave and transmitting satellite signals throughout Tel Aviv in anticipation of a retaliatory attack.
US officials have not said whether an Iranian attack on Israel would constitute grounds for military intervention. However, Washington has repeatedly warned Iran to stay out of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, and Tehran has largely complied. Rather than directly engaging in the conflict, Iran has continued its current policy of arming and training Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, as well as Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, which have fought US and Israeli forces since the conflict began in October.
Speaking to CNN, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US is “very concerned” about the possibility of war between Israel and Iran, before adding that the US will continue to provide military aid to Israel.