Victory over Terrorism in Syria Would be a Victory for Entire World: Premier

TEHRAN, (ST)- Prime Minister Imad Khamis has stressed that victory over terrorism in Syria would be a victory for the region and the entire world, because the Zionist terrorist scheme aims at leading the region towards complete chaos and at destroying the region’s identity and potentials in the service of “Israel” and its expansionist dreams.  

Khamis made the remarks during a meeting on Sunday with Iran’s First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri in Tehran.  Khamis yesterday took part in Hassan Rouhani’s swearing in ceremony for second term as Iran president.

The premier and Jahangiri discussed enhancing strategic cooperation in the fight against terrorism. They affirmed the importance of  coordination and joint action to upgrade economic and trade relations as to meet the requirements of the coming era.

 Khamis stressed the need to reactivate the Syrian-Iranian Higher Economic Committee, to encourage big Iranian companies to carry out investments in Syria and to boost contacts between the chambers of commerce, industry and agriculture in both countries.

He went on to say that the victories achieved by the Syrian Arab army and its allies over terrorism in Syria have reflected positively on all walks of life in the country.

“We are determined to clean the entire Syrian territory from terrorism, to start reconstructing what the terrorist war has destroyed and to complete the process of national reconciliation, Khamis clarified.

On his part Jahangiri thanked the Syrian leadership for participating in President Rouhani’s swearing in ceremony, stressing his country’s firm support for Syria in the fight against terrorism.

He affirmed that Syria is being targeted for its independent decision and firm national principles.

He underlined that the solution to the crisis in Syria is political through eliminating terrorism, drying up its financial resources  and through reconciliations.

“The Syrian people alone can decide the future of their country and no one has the right to interfere in the Syrians’ internal affairs, so all parties should respect their will,” Jahangiri said, stressing Iran’s complete readiness to cooperate with Syria in different economic and trade fields.

 US Strikes in Syria’s Raqqa Genocide, Violate Intl. Law: Shamkhani

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said US airstrikes on Syria’s northern province of Raqqa using banned weapons amount to genocide in the country.

Shamkhani made the remarks in a meeting with Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis in Tehran on Sunday, press TV reported.

Referring to high civilian death toll in Raqqah, Shamkhani said the US air raids amounted to genocide as American warplanes used banned weapons and ammunition in their attacks.

He said the US aerial assaults were also a brazen example of human rights violation and proved Washington’s lack of commitment to principles of human rights.

The US and its allies have allegedly been bombarding what they call Daesh positions inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.

The strikes, however, have on many occasions resulted in civilian casualties and failed to fulfill their declared aim of countering terrorism.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Shamkhani stressed that the Islamic Republic will continue to stand by Syria and keep up its support for the nation until the crisis is over in the Middle Eastern state.

 “Instead of fighting terrorist elements, Western countries and the US take suspicious measures in line with strengthening terrorism and worsening insecurity in the region,” Shamkhani said, warning that the harmful effects of such moves “will lead to the spread of terrorism in the world.”

The Iranian official further emphasized that peace will be restored to the region and consequently the European countries shortly after the West ends its financial, technical and weaponry support for terrorists.

The Syrian premier, for his part, briefed Shamkhani on his country’s latest developments and achievements in the battle against terrorism and for the political settlement of the conflict.

He also thanked Tehran for backing the Syrian people and government, adding that the restoration of security to Syria depended on some countries stopping their support for terrorists.

Last week, Damascus wrote to the United Nations, calling for the dissolution of a US-led coalition which has been bombing the country for years.

In two letters addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the world body’s Security Council, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates complained that the coalition “continues to commit massacres against Syrian innocent civilians through conducting systematic airstrikes.”

The ministry further said that the US-led strikes were meant to support terrorist groups operating in Syria.

H.M