By Palestine Chronicle Staff 
“Simona, remind me of when Israel condemned even a single strike by the Kiev regime on Russian regions? You don’t know? Nor do I.”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has denounced the call by the Israeli ambassador to Moscow to condemn Iran’s attack on Israel.
Ambassador Simona Halperin had earlier told the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that her country expects “our Russian colleagues to condemn the unprecedented Iranian attack on Israeli territory.”
She also reportedly said she hoped that Moscow would counter “Iran’s attempts to destabilize the region.”
In a post on her Telegram channel on Sunday, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, responded: “Simona, remind me of when Israel condemned even a single strike by the Kiev regime on Russian regions? You don’t know? Nor do I.”
Zakharova also cited “regular statements in support of (Ukrainian President Vladimir) Zelensky’s actions on the part of Israeli officials.”
The war between Russia and Ukraine entered its third year two months ago.
‘Dangerous Escalation’
In a statement on Sunday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry expressed “extreme concern at yet another dangerous escalation in the Middle East.”
❗ We express our extreme concern at yet another dangerous escalation in the Middle East.
We call on all parties involved in the conflict to exercise restraint. We expect them to resolve the existing problems through political and diplomatic means.
🔗 https://t.co/SPCqb4ojUR pic.twitter.com/aBgGCWDxzJ
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) April 14, 2024
“We call on all parties involved to exercise restraint. We expect them to resolve the existing problems through political and diplomatic means,” the ministry said.
Tehran on Saturday launched its first direct attack on Israel in history, deploying drones and missiles in response to an Israeli missile strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1.
The attack resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard members, including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi.
‘Political Killings’
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, condemned the consulate attack.
“Any attacks on diplomatic and consular facilities, the inviolability of which is guaranteed by the relevant Vienna Conventions, are categorically unacceptable, as well as political killings,” Lavrov said.
According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA half of the missiles aimed at Israel hit their targets.
In a call on Saturday, US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington will not support any Israeli response to Iran, the news website Axios reported.
This decision comes amid heightened concerns that “an Israeli response to Iran’s attack on Israel would lead to a regional war with catastrophic consequences,” Axios said, citing US officials.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
