TEHRAN, (ST)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussein Amir Abdul Lahyan criticized the role played by the US administration and its allies in the region in arming and training the so-called “moderate opposition” in Syria.
During a meeting in Tehran yesterday, with the UN assistant envoy to Syria Ramzi Ezzedine Ramzi , Lahyan explained that at a time when the UN envoy to Syria Stefan de Mistura seeks to implement his initiative to freeze fighting in the city of Aleppo, ongoing arming and training of so-called “moderate opposition “ by some Western and Arab countries contrast with this initiative, “calling on the UN to declare officially its opposition to such acts.
“Iran welcomes providing assistance to de Mistura initiative, he pointed out, adding that national dialogue is an essential part of a political solution in Syria and the UN plays a potential of an influential role in resolving the crisis in Syria.
He stressed the need that the UN plays a real role between the Syrian government and the opposition, stressing the need for the UN envoy to Syria and his team to examine latest developments in Syria.
For his part, Ramzi gave an explanation about the UN “initiative to freeze the fighting in Aleppo” and the report on the contacts and consultations held with the Syrian government and the opposition and key players in the region and the world about this initiative, commending Syrian officials positive response with this initiative.
He hoped to freezing fighting in Aleppo to be implemented very soon, noting that “if the initiative succeeds in Aleppo , similar initiatives will be implemented in other Syrian areas ,” stressing that the preservation of the unity and sovereignty of the Syrian territory is one of the core principles of this initiative.
On Wednesday, the Iranian foreign ministry confirmed that recent developments in the region and the fact realized by the West and certain countries in the region of the danger of terrorism is an indication of the right positions by the axis of resistance and Iran in the region, noting that violence and terrorism in Syria and Iraq comes to secure the interests of certain regional and Western countries.
T. Fateh