Iran Strongly Condemns US Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as a "Strategic Mistake"

Iran has strongly condemned the US attacks on Iraqi and Syrian territories.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to foreign media on the 3rd (local time), Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated in a press release, "The US attacks on Iraq and Syria are another adventure and strategic mistake that escalates tensions and instability in the region." This is Iran's first response following the US retaliatory strikes targeting pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria the previous day.

Earlier, the US Central Command announced that at 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) the previous day, US forces conducted airstrikes against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militias in Iraq and Syria. The command explained that the airstrikes targeted more than 85 sites across seven locations, including operational command and control facilities, and storage sites for rockets, missiles, and drones.

This is interpreted as the US launching a full-scale retaliation for the drone attack on the US base in Jordan that killed three US soldiers. In this regard, the Syrian Ministry of Defense issued a statement criticizing the US, saying, "The US airstrikes in eastern Syria caused numerous civilian and military casualties, as well as damage to public and private property." The Iraqi government also joined the chorus of condemnation, stating that at least 16 people, including civilians, were killed and 23 injured due to the US attacks.