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UN 'very concerned' about Iran's strikes in Syria, Iraq

"The Secretary General further underlines that all security concerns between Iraq and Iran must be addressed through peaceful means, and dialogue in accordance with the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and good neighborly relations,'' the UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.

Anadolu Agency MIDDLE EAST
Published January 16,2024
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This image taken from video provided by Rudaw TV shows smoke rising from a building hit by a strike in Irbil, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (AP Photo)

The UN said Tuesday it is "very concerned" about Iran's reported ballistic strikes in Syria and Iraq as it urged "maximum restraint."

"We once again urge maximum restraint and avoid any further escalation in a region that is ... already volatile," said spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, adding that this kind of situation can also lead to a miscalculation by parties with even worse consequences.

"The Secretary General further underlines that all security concerns between Iraq and Iran must be addressed through peaceful means, and dialogue in accordance with the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and good neighborly relations," he added.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said late Monday that it launched ballistic missiles against positions of "anti-Iran terrorist groups" and their backers in Syria and Iraq.

The IRGC also claimed to have destroyed the local headquarters of the Israeli spy agency Mossad in Erbil.

At least four people were killed and six injured in the attacks, according to the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq.

The Iraqi government has termed the attacks an act of aggression and a violation of the country's sovereignty.