Iran plays down reported Israeli attacks as Tehran indicates no plan for retaliation

The limited scale of the attack and Iran's muted response both appeared to signal a successful effort by diplomats who have been working round the clock to avert all-out war

Vehicles drive past an anti-Israeli banner showing missiles being launched, in a square in downtown Tehran, Iran. Picture: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

Fri, 19 Apr, 2024 - 12:21

Parisa Hafezi and James Mackenzie

Explosions echoed over an Iranian city on Friday in what sources described as an Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation - a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war.

The limited scale of the attack and Iran's muted response both appeared to signal a successful effort by diplomats who have been working round the clock to avert all-out war since an Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel last Saturday.