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White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby has said the US does not want to go to war with Iran.
Asked in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" whether the Biden administration would support a direct Israeli response to targets inside Iran, Kirby said: "As the president has said many times, we are not seeking a broader war in the region. We are not seeking a war with Iran."
Earlier, US media quoted White House officials as confirming that in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Biden had affirmed that the US would not participate in or support any Israeli attack on Iran. The US leader also advised Netanyahu to “carefully consider” the option of retaliatory strikes against Iran. In response, Israel affirmed that it “will not seek serious escalation with Iran”.
The Russian Foreign Ministry quoted Foreign Minister Lavrov as saying: “Preventing such situations and eliminating the main causes leading to such situations must be a priority for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).”
* In a related move, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on April 14 expressed deep concern over the recent military escalation in the Middle East following Iran's unprecedented direct attack on Israeli territory on the night of April 13.
The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry warned of the potentially serious consequences of the escalation and called on all parties involved to exercise maximum restraint. The statement urged the UN Security Council to intervene and prevent further escalation in order to maintain international peace and security.
Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement highlighting its “deep concern” over recent developments and the need to prevent escalation. The UAE also stressed the importance of efforts to resolve disputes through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.
In addition, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi also affirmed the importance of maintaining regional and global stability, and called on the international community to deploy joint diplomatic efforts to resolve disputes peacefully.
