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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 9 april 2024
Iran’s foreign minister accuses U.S. of giving Israel ‘green light’ to

attack consulate in Syria

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB and lahian told reporters in Da-
ALBERT AJI mascus during a visit where
Associated Press he met his Syrian counter-
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — part, Faisal Mekdad, who
Iran’s foreign minister Mon- condemned both the
day accused the United strike and Israel’s offensive
States of giving Israel the in Gaza. Amirabdollahian
“green light” for a strike on also met President Bashar
its consulate building in Syr- Assad, with whom he dis-
ia that killed seven Iranian cussed Gaza and the wid-
military officials including er situation in the region, a
two generals. statement from Assad’s of-
Hossein Amirabdollahian fice said.
reiterated Tehran’s vows The Iranian foreign minister,
that it will respond to the who earlier that day inau-
attack, widely blamed on gurated the opening of a
Israel, that appeared to sig- new consular section in a
nify an escalation of Israel’s nearby building, justified
targeting of military officials his claims by saying that
from Iran, which supports Washington and “two Eu-
militant groups fighting Is- ropean countries” did not
rael in Gaza, and along its condemn the attack on
border with Lebanon. the diplomatic building.
Hezbollah leader Hassan The Biden administration
Nasrallah in an address has insisted that it had no
Monday reiterated the In this photo released on the official Telegram page of the Syrian Presidency, Syrian President advance knowledge of
Iran-backed group’s sup- Bashar Assad, right, welcomes Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian before their the airstrike. Washington is
port for a Tehran military meeting in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 8, 2024. Associated Press Israel’s vital military ally.
response to the attack Israel, which rarely ac-
that killed Gen. Moham- gan six months ago, clashes and positions in Syria and Quds Force chief Gen. Qa- knowledges strikes against
mad Reza Zahedi, a senior have increased between Iraq. ssim Soleimani in 2020 in Iranian targets, said it had
military official in the Ira- Israel and Lebanon’s Hez- Though Israel has regularly Baghdad. no comment on the strike
nian Revolutionary Guard’s bollah. Hamas, which rules conducted strikes target- “I’d like to say with a very in the Syrian capital. How-
Quds Force, and worsened Gaza and attacked Israel ing Iranian military officials loud voice from here in Da- ever, Pentagon spokes-
fears of the war spiraling on Oct. 7, is also backed and allies, Zahedi’s death mascus that America has a woman Sabrina Singh said
into the rest of the Middle by Iran, as well as an um- was the most significant responsibility in what hap- last week that the U.S.
East. brella group of Iraqi militias blow for Tehran since a U.S. pened and must be held has assessed Israel was
Since the war in Gaza be- targeting U.S. military bases drone targeted and killed responsible,” Amirabdol- responsible.q

‘Panama Papers’ trial starts. 27 people charged in the worldwide

money laundering case

PANAMA CITY (AP) — The tina and Ukraine, Chinese which closed in 2018, had Both Mossack and Fonseca The two were acquitted on
trial of 27 people charged politicians and Russian no control over how its cli- have Panamanian citizen- other charges in 2022.
in connection with the President Vladimir Putin, ents might use offshore ship, and Panama does not The records were first
worldwide “Panama Pa- among others. vehicles created for them. extradite its own citizens. leaked to the German
pers” money laundering The often-delayed trial daily Suddeutsche Zeitung,
started Monday in a Pana- opened Monday, with and were shared with the
manian criminal court. lawyers Juergen Mossack, International Consortium
Those on trial include the Ramón Fonseca and other of Investigative Journalists,
owners of the Mossack- ex-employees of the firm which began publishing
Fonseca law firm that was facing money laundering collaborative reports with
at the heart of the 2016 charges. news organizations in 2016.
massive document leak. Mossack was present in the U.S. federal prosecutors
The Panama Papers in- courtroom; lawyers for Fon- have alleged that Moss-
clude a collection of 11 mil- seca said he was in a hospi- ack Fonseca conspired to
lion secret financial docu- tal in Panama. circumvent American laws
ments that illustrate how The case centers on al- to maintain the wealth of
some of the world’s richest legations the firm set up its clients and conceal tax
people hide their money. shell companies to acquire dollars owed to the IRS.
The repercussions of the properties in Panama with They alleged the scheme
leaks have been far-rang- money from a sprawling dates to 2000 and involved
ing, prompting the resigna- corruption scheme in Brazil The Supreme Court stands in Panama City, Monday, April 8, sham foundations and shell
tion of the prime minister of known as the Car Wash, or 2024 as the trial starts for those charged in connection with the companies in Panama,
Iceland and bringing scruti- Lava Jato in Portuguese. worldwide “Panama Papers” money laundering case. Hong Kong and the British
ny to the leaders of Argen- Fonseca has said the firm, Associated Press Virgin Islands.q