Iranian FM, EU foreign policy chief discuss Iran's retaliatory attack against Israel

TEHRAN, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday exchanged views on Iran's retaliatory military operation against Israel.

In a phone call, Amir-Abdollahian said Israel's repeated "aggressions," including its recent deadly attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, were a flagrant violation of the Vienna conventions and Iran's red line.

He blamed the United Nations and the UN Security Council for their inaction towards the Israeli attack, stressing that Iran had no other choice but to punish Israel within the framework of its legitimate right to self-defense.

The two sides also discussed other important regional and international issues of common interest, such as the continuation of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Iran launched late Saturday night coordinated drone and missile strikes on Israel, after which Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps announced that the operation "successfully hit and destroyed" important Israeli "military targets."

Following the completion of the operation, Iran sent a message that it deemed the issue concluded, Amir-Abdollahian said, reiterating that, however, if Israel would take countermeasures, Iran's response would be "immediate, extensive and maximal."

He also expressed hope that the EU would implement an efficient and effective initiative to end the "genocide" in Gaza, guaranteeing that Iran would contribute to the success of such an initiative.

Borrell, for his part, said Iran's military response to the Israeli attack was expected, expressing satisfaction that Tehran considered the operation concluded.

As for the EU's statement slamming the Israeli attack against the Iranian consulate, he said the bloc condemned the move as it violated the relevant Vienna conventions.

Borrell added that the EU was making diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis in Gaza and end the suffering of people in the Palestinian coastal enclave, requesting Iran to contribute to such efforts while exercising restraint.