West Adopts Double Standard Policy on Terrorism Fighting- Salehi
TEHRAN, (ST) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has criticized the double standard policy adopted by the West regarding terrorism fighting, stressing that Western countries back terrorism in Syria and combat it in Mali.
Salehi was quoted by the Iranian media on Sunday as saying upon his arrival in Addis Ababa to take part in the 20thSummit of the African Union, that Iran is against all forms of extremism and it rejects foreign interference in states’ internal affairs represented in sending armed groups to these countries.
Supporting the political option to solve the crisis in Syria, Salehi said that crises can’t be resolved by force, but by uncovering and plucking its roots.
The Iranian FM noted that Tehran believes the Syrian crisis should be resolved by the participation of all the Syrians without any foreign interference.
He asked all political groups in Syria to help halt violence in order to pave the way for national dialogue between the government and the opposition.
On the West’s double standard policy towards dealing with terrorism, Salehi said “terrorist groups in Syria are enjoying unlimited support by foreign countries, while at the same time these very countries are fighting terrorism in Mali.”
Salehi, who stressed that terrorism is a Western product, said “the West is responsible for the existence of terrorist groups in the world causing a serious crisis facing the international community.”
Regarding the spread of armed extremist groups in Africa, Salehi hoped that the Western countries will stop supporting these groups and contribute to controlling the crisis so as not to extend to other parts of the world, referring to Iran’s readiness to cooperate in this connection.
Abdollahian: Iran backs every initiative aiming to restore stability to Syria
Meanwhile in Jordan, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian affirmed that Iran backs every initiative aiming to restore stability to Syria, pointing out that the foreign countries’ interference in Syria’s internal affairs has complicated the situation there.
Abdollahian reiterated Iran’s support for the political program proposed by President Bashar Al-Assad to solve the crisis, pointing out that this program together with the Iranian initiative in this respect can be the basis of political solution.
“Western countries, the United States and some states which claim they are fighting terrorism are among the key sponsors of terrorist groups in Syria, because of their incessant support to these groups to destroy the Syrian infrastructure,” Abdollahian said.
H. Mustafa