All Unilateral Sanctions Imposed by Western Countries against Syria Should Be Removed: Lavrov

 MOSCOW- Russia has repeatedly noted the need to remove all unilateral sanctions imposed by the Western countries against the Syrian Arab Republic, Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday in a press conference after talks with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi.

He sanctions have prevented the country from ensuring normal economic, infrastructure conditions for return of refugees,” Lavrov said, according to Sputnik.

US Can Rarely Separate Terrorists and Opposition in Southern Syria – Lavrov

On the situation in Syria’s southern de-escalation zone, Lavrov said that the US can rarely separate terrorists and opposition in this zone.

“We have also pointed out the need for the implementation of agreements on the southern de-escalation zone, deals which were reached by the United States, Russia and Jordan on all aspects, including the continuation of the uncompromising struggle against terrorists from ‘Islamic State’ and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (Jabhat al-Nusra), which control about 40 percent of the southern de-escalation zone,” Lavrov clarified.

The allegations made by Western media outlets and politicians about ethnic cleansing during anti-terrorist campaigns in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta and eastern Aleppo were false, Lavrov said.

Iranian Presence in Syria

According to the Russian foreign minister, it was unrealistic to expect Iran to leave Syria and stop playing a role in the region, becoming self-isolated.

“It is clear that this is absolutely unrealistic and that it will not be possible to solve regional problems without the participation of its key countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and many others,” Lavrov stressed.

H.M