Alwaght- Russia, Syria and Iran have warned the US over its Syria aggression after a meeting of their foreign ministers in Moscow.
The three foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov of Russia, Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran and Walid Muallem of Syria met on Friday in Moscow and stated that US cruise missile attack on Syria was an act of international aggression. “We have reiterated our position and were united in stating that the attack was an act of aggression, which blatantly violated the principles of international law and the UN Charter,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on behalf of his colleagues.
“We call on the US and its allies to respect Syria’s sovereignty and refrain from actions similar to what happened on April 7, and which have serious ramification not only for regional, but also global security,” he added.
Lavrov was referring to the Tomahawk missile barrage fired by the US Navy at a Syrian airbase in Homs province. Washington ordered the attack after accusing Damascus of launching a chemical weapons attack at a terrorist-held town in Idlib province from that airbase. Russia condemned the move, saying the US hadn’t offered any proof to pin the alleged chemical weapons incident on the Syrian Army.
During the meeting, Lavrov pledged to continue Russia’s support of Damascus in fighting terrorism and restoring peace in Syria.
Idlib incident aimed at derailing Syria talks
He added that Moscow suspects that the Idlib incident was a provocative act aimed at derailing negotiations between the Syrian government and so-called moderate rebel groups on a political transition in the country. Lavrov said the perpetrators of the deadly release of toxins must be found.
“We insist on a thorough, objective and unbiased investigation of the circumstance of the use of chemical substances in Khan Shaykhun on April 4,” he said, adding that the investigating team must include inspectors chosen from nations from different parts of the world to ensure its objectivity.
Speaking during the joint press conference, Muallme said Syria has repeatedly declared that it does not have chemical weapons and this was approved by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in 2014, adding that what happened in Khan Sheikhoun is a fabricated operation and that Syrian aviation did not hit any target in it with chemical weapons.
Syria demands international probe
Al-Moallem said that is why Syria had demanded the formation of an impartial and professional international commission of inquiry to visit Khan Sheikhoun and al-Shairat Airport, adding that the Syrian government will facilitate all what will lead to the success of the work of this commission to provide an objective report.
Al-Moallem wondered about the reason that makes the United States and its allies afraid of the formation of such a commission and why it (the United States) committed the aggression before the formation of the commission and if the US wants to return the international relations to the law of the jungle?
“Why the US, assisted by a crowd of Western puppets, is afraid of the formation of this commission?” he inquired, saying that if the US strike is baseless and unjustified then it is a described aggression on the Syrian sovereignty and that is the real question to the public opinion.
Iran reiterates political settlement of Syria crisis
At the meeting, Iranian foreign minister emphasized the need for a political settlement of the Syria crisis and end to foreign meddling in the affairs of the Arab country.
Zarif further called for investigations into a purported gas attack that killed over 80 people in the town of Khan Shaykhun in Syria’s Idlib Province, stressing that such an attack must be used as a pretext against the Syria.
Iran’s foreign minister also accused “certain countries” of hypocrisy, citing Iran’s history of suffering from chemical weapons attack by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq during the 1980s war. Declassified CIA files showed that the US was well aware that Saddam was using CWs against Iranians, but didn’t oppose it and even provided intelligence for such attacks.
Last October, the three top diplomats held similar talks in the Russian capital where they emphasized the need for unyielding fight against terrorism and working towards the resumption of UN-brokered Syria talks in Geneva, which started last year before breaking down.
In December 2016, Moscow also hosted a meeting of foreign and defense ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey on the Syria crisis.
