Iran faces sanctions over attack on Israel
Israel’s foreign minister on Tuesday said he’s leading a “diplomatic offensive” against Iran following Saturday’s unprecedented attack on Israel and amid global efforts to calm tensions between the two counties to prevent a wider war in the Middle East.
Israel Katz said in a social media post that he’s calling for sanctions to be imposed on the Iranian missile project and that “the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps be declared a terrorist organization” ... “to curb and weaken Iran.” Katz’s efforts included sending letters to 32 countries and conversations with dozens of foreign ministers.
“Iran must be stopped now — before it is too late,” he said.
Other diplomatic efforts were also underway to bring down the temperature. The U.S. plans to levy new sanctions on Iran “in the coming days,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Tuesday.
The European Union intends to do the same, said top EU diplomat Josep Borrell. He said the bloc is “asking all actors in the region to move away from the abyss, in order not to fall into it.”
In Berlin, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she would travel to Israel on Tuesday. “It is incredibly important for us as the German federal government in these fragile times that we all work together to contribute to deescalation for the entire region,” Baerbock said at a news conference with her Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Tuesday with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi about the current Iran-Israel face-off and, according to the Kremlin, “expressed hope that all sides would show reasonable restraint and prevent a new round of confrontation fraught with catastrophic consequences for the entire region.”
Since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has considerably strengthened its ties to Iran, which supplies it with attack drones used in the war against its neighbor. In a readout of the leaders’ conversation, the Kremlin said Raisi pointed out Iran’s response to the April 1 attack on its embassy in Damascus was limited in scope, and “he stressed Tehran’s disinterest in further escalation of tensions.”
The Iranian version of the call was different, Reuters reported, based on accounts from state media saying Raisi warned of a severe and extensive response to any actions against Iran.
Israeli War Cabinet postpones meeting on response to attack
Israel’s War Cabinet postponed its scheduled third meeting in three days from Tuesday to Wednesday as it weighs a response to Iran’s missile and drone blitz. Military Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has said the Iranian attack will indeed “be met with a response.” No decision has been announced.
A Hebrew University poll revealed nearly three-quarters of Israelis oppose a response to Iran’s weekend attack that would harm Israel’s relationship with its allies, according to the Israel Times.
U.S. President Joe Biden said the U.S. — which along with Israel and Jordan intercepted hundreds of missiles and drones launched from Iran — will continue to defend its ally but will not be part of any retaliatory measure against Iran for Saturday’s attack.
Raisi said Tuesday that Tehran will respond to any action against its interests, Reuters reported, citing the Iranian Student News Agency.
“We categorically declare that the smallest action against Iranian interests will certainly be met with a severe, widespread and painful response against any perpetrator,” Raisi told the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Over 10,000 Palestinian women killed in Gaza war, UN says
More than 33,800 people have been killed and over 76,000 injured in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities. The war was launched in response to Hamas attacks on Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 people taken hostage, according to Israel’s tally. About 133 hostages remain captive.