Iran warns US to ‘stay away' from Israel conflict

Iran warned the United States Sunday to ‘stay away’ from its conflict with Israel after Tehran launched a drone and missile attack in retaliation for a deadly strike on its Damascus consulate.

"Iran's military action was in response to the Zionist regime's aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus," Iran's United Nations mission said on X (former Twitter).

"Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe," it warned. "It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the US MUST STAY AWAY!"

It said it hoped its action to punish the strike on its diplomatic mission would lead to no further escalation and "the matter can be deemed concluded."

But any Iranian hopes that Israel would be left to defend itself alone were swiftly dashed, with a Pentagon official confirming that US forces were shooting down Israel-bound drones and Britain saying it stood ready to.

The April 1 strike, which was widely blamed on Israel, levelled the five-storey consular annexe of the Iranian embassy in Damascus and killed seven Revolutionary Guards, two of them generals.

The Guards warned Israel and the United States that any action they took against Iran would be reciprocated.

"We emphasise that any threat by the terrorist government of America and the Zionist regime from any country will result in a reciprocal and proportionate response," the Guards said in a statement.

Iran said it had carried out its attack on Israel as an act of "self-defence" following the strike on its diplomatic mission.

"Iran emphasises its determination to decisively defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests against any illegal use of force and aggression," the foreign ministry said.