Blinken speaks to Chinese, Turkish, and Saudi counterparts on avoiding outbreak of Israel-Iran war
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spent the past 24 hours trying to send a clear message to Iran that escalating the conflict in the Middle East is not in the world’s interest as the threat of a direct attack on Israel from Tehran looms.
“We continue to be concerned about the risk of escalation in the Middle East, something we have been working to mitigate and contain since the attacks of October 7,” State Department spokesperson Miller said. “And specifically about the threats made in recent days by Iran against the State of Israel and the Israeli people,” Miller said.
Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers from Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia urging them to also send a message against escalation to Iran. Blinken then spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Miller said.
Miller does not want to put timeframe on attack
Miller wouldn’t speak to what US intelligence communities are assessing from Tehran, saying he doesn’t want to put any timeframe on a possible attack.
“The message we’re sending there that we’re hoping to avoid in the first place an attack by Iran,” Miller said.
Miller said the US is still assessing the status of the Damascus facility that Israel attacked earlier this month which killed Iranian Iranian Commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi.
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