Biden cuts weekend trip short for urgent Middle East consultations
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A strike on April 1 levelled an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus, killing Revolutionary Guards members.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to Delaware on April 13 to return to Washington for urgent consultations on the Middle East, the White House said, amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel.
Iran has vowed retaliation after a presumed Israeli strike on April 1
“The President is returning to the White House this afternoon to consult with his national security team about events in the Middle East,” the White House said.
Mr Biden had said on April 12 that he expected Iran to retaliate “sooner (rather) than later”, and earlier this week had said Tehran was “threatening to launch a significant attack”.
On April 11 the Pentagon said the top US commander for the Middle East had travelled to Israel for talks on security threats with the country’s military officials.
The White House on April 13 called on Iran to immediately release a British-owned ship it seized near the Strait of Hormuz, as Middle East tensions soar and fears mount over a retaliatory attack on Israel.
“We call on Iran to release the vessel and its international crew immediately,” said National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.
“Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.” AFP
