Bandung, W Java (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the United States' recent vote against a proposed United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine.

The US veto of Palestine's full membership of the UN disappointed many countries as the majority of UNSC members supported the proposed resolution, he said.

The United States, which is one of the UNSC's permanent members, again voted against full UN membership for Palestine, he noted while speaking to local journalists after attending a disaster mitigation meeting in Bandung city, West Java.

Amin also highlighted the rising tensions in the Middle East following the exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel, saying that Indonesia has made the utmost efforts to de-escalate the conflict.

"We have attempted to de-escalate the conflict. We hope that what has happened regarding Iran's attack on Israel will hopefully be the last. It is enough," he said.

To de-escalate the Iran-Israel conflict, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi lobbied her counterparts from several countries, Amin added.

Speaking on the Iran-Israel conflict, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated earlier that Indonesia and China share the same stance in responding to it.

She made the statement after accompanying President Joko Widodo to receive Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on April 18, 2024.

"During the discussion, (it became clear that) China's and Indonesia's position is the same in (responding to) this issue, and the President also expressed optimism that China will use its influence to prevent an escalation," she added.

Iran launched a massive drone and missile attack on Israel on April 13 in retaliation to Tel Aviv's airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, Syria, in early April.

The Israeli airstrike reportedly killed 16 people, including several senior Iranian commanders.

The commanders included Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi from the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi, Al Jazeera reported.

In response, Israel attacked an Iranian airbase in Isfahan province on April 19, according to media reports.

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Translator: Benardy F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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