Iran's Zarif Cancels Visit To Austria Over Israeli Flags On Gov't Buildings - Reports

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Iran's Zarif Cancels Visit to Austria Over Israeli Flags on Gov't Buildings - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2021) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has canceled his trip to Vienna due to Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and the Austrian foreign ministry raising the Israeli flag over their buildings in a show of solidarity amid the armed hostilities on the Gaza Strip border, Austria's Die Presse newspaper reported on Saturday.

The office of the Austrian chancellor raised the Israeli flag on Friday, with Kurz tweeting that "terrorist attacks against Israel deserve the most decisive condemnation." The foreign ministry followed suit, expressing support for Israel.

Zarif was scheduled for a two-day visit to Vienna as part of a broader European tour. The Iranian foreign minister was set to meet with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, on Saturday to discuss the nuclear talks.

Commenting on the situation, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said that it was "shocking" to see the Israeli flags over government buildings in a city that hosts numerous international organizations.

"Vienna is the seat of IAEA & UN, and [Austria] so far been a great host for negotiations. Shocking & painful to see flag of the occupying regime, that brutally killed tens of innocent civilians, inc many children in just few days, over govt offices in Vienna. We stand with Palestine," Araghchi tweeted on Friday.

Tensions flared up on the border of Israel and the Palestinian enclave on Monday evening. More than 2,200 rockets have been since launched from Gaza into Israel, while the Israeli army responded by launching hundreds of strikes against Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets across the border. According to the Palestinian health ministry, 139 Palestinians were killed and some 1,000 others were injured.