A decision “taken during a crisis meeting”, faced with “the risks of military escalation” in the region. The head of French diplomacy Stéphane Séjourné “recommends that the French absolutely abstain from traveling in the coming days to Iran, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories”, his entourage indicated this Friday, April 12 at the ‘AFP. He also called for the “return of the families of diplomatic agents from Tehran” as well as a ban on missions by French officials in these countries.
The risks of the conflict spilling over into the region have increased in recent days with Iran’s threats against Israel, accused of a strike which destroyed its consulate in Damascus on April 1, killing 16 people, including seven, according to an NGO. members of the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army.
An American general in Israel
After US President Joe Biden’s announcement on Wednesday that Iran “threatens to launch a significant attack against Israel”, the United States has decided to restrict the movements in this country of its diplomatic personnel. Washington also sent its general in charge of the Middle East to Israel to discuss “security threats in the region” with senior military officials there.
“The level of preparation for an Iranian attack against the State of Israel” was also discussed this Thursday by the American Defense Ministers Lloyd Austin and Israeli Yoav Gallant, according to an official Israeli press release. “Israel will not tolerate an Iranian attack on its territory,” warned Yoav Gallant. “If Iran carries out an attack from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran,” insisted before him the head of Israeli diplomacy, Israel Katz.
Iran’s threats
Israel’s sworn enemy and Hamas ally, Iran threatened to “punish” Israel after the destruction of its consulate. “The evil regime made a mistake […] he must be punished and he will be punished,” Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reiterated on Wednesday. The White House has “warned” Iran, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked his Chinese, Turkish and Saudi counterparts to dissuade Tehran from any attacks against Israel.
After telephone conversations with his German, Australian and British counterparts, the head of Iranian diplomacy Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke of the “need” for Tehran to respond to the strike against its consulate. Moscow and Berlin called for restraint and German airline Lufthansa suspended flights to and from Tehran until Saturday.