China condemns attack on Iranian embassy in Syria

BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- China condemns the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.

"The security of diplomatic institutions is inviolable, and Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be respected," Wang said at a regular press briefing in response to the attack.

The current situation in the Middle East is turbulent, and China opposes any actions that escalate tensions, Wang added.

The missile attack occurred at about 5:00 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) on Monday when Israel launched an aerial aggression from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, targeting the consulate building of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry.

In a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry after the attack, ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani was quoted as saying that Iran, while reserving its right to take countermeasures, would consider its response to the attack and determine the appropriate punishment for the "aggressor."