TEHRAN - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has characterized the recent actions of the Zionist regime as desperate measures, asserting that Israel's behavior demonstrates a disregard for human and international norms.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed condolences to his Iranian counterpart during a telephone conversation late Tuesday, mourning the loss of Brigadier General Mohammadreza Zahedi and his comrades. 

He extended sympathies to the Iranian people, the government, and the families of the fallen martyrs.

The attack carried out by the Israeli regime on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus, resulted in the martyrdom of Brigadier General Zahedi and several of his comrades on Monday.

Al-Assad condemned the Zionist regime's unprecedented act of terrorism, emphasizing that it not only violates international laws but also highlights the regime's arrogance and moral decay. 

He connected this incident to a pattern of aggression and criminality in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria.

"The Zionist regime's perpetration of this crime aims to divert attention from the challenges posed by the Palestinian Islamic resistance in Gaza," al-Assad stated, underscoring the imperative of supporting the resistance axis and holding the criminal regime accountable.

Referring to Brigadier General Zahedi's character, al-Assad described him as a distinguished figure and a humble hero, whose sacrifice holds significant value for both Syria and Iran.

President Raisi expressed gratitude for al-Assad's condolences, condemning the terrorist act as evidence of the Zionist regime's desperation and moral bankruptcy. 

He vowed that the perpetrators, along with their supporters, would face punishment for their crimes in Gaza.

Raisi reaffirmed Tehran and Damascus' unwavering stance against the Zionist regime, describing it as a destabilizing force in the region and beyond. 

He lamented the lack of unified opposition from some Arab states, which has emboldened the regime to commit further atrocities.

Highlighting the disregard of the Zionist regime for international norms, Raisi criticized the continued support it receives from the United States and certain Western countries, including financial, military, and media assistance.

The Iranian president emphasized Brigadier General Zahedi's legacy of upholding Islamic and humanitarian values, pledging that his sacrifice would strengthen the enduring bond between Iran and Syria.

In conclusion, Raisi called for enhanced cooperation between Iran and Syria across various domains, despite opposition from their common adversaries.

Earlier on Tuesday, Raisi said Israel had resorted to indiscriminate assassinations after back-to-back failures in the face of the resistance, warning that the regime’s latest crime against Iranian military advisers in Syria “will not go unanswered.” 

He condemned Israel’s “inhumane invasion” as a “flagrant violation of international regulations” and extended condolences to the Iranian nation over the martyrdom of the IRGC advisors.

The usurping Zionist regime, he added, has committed another “terrorist crime” and stained its “dirty hands” with the blood of several Iranian generals and officers.

"After repeated defeats and failures in the face of the faith and will of the Resistance Front fighters, the Zionist regime has put indiscriminate assassinations on its agenda in the struggle to save itself, but it should know that it will never achieve its sinister goals with such inhumane actions,” the Iranian chief executive said.

Israeli warplanes bombed the Iranian consulate, situated next to the embassy building in Damascus’s Mezzeh district, on Monday afternoon.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps named Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force and his deputy General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi were among the martyrs of the terrorist attack.

Iranian officials have vowed a firm response to the Israeli crime that violated all international obligations and conventions.