Iran’s Shamkhani: US ‘Criminal’ Attack to Complicate Syria Situation

While the political and military trends have been towards destruction of terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, the recent US missile attack on a Syrian government’s airbase near Homs reveals a “quite purposeful” act for boosting the moral and military capabilities of terrorists, Shamkhani said on Friday evening.

His comments came after the US launched a missile attack on the Syrian government’s Shayrat Airfield near Homs with 59 tomahawk missiles on Friday. Officially announcing the strike, US President Donald Trump claimed that the targeted airfield had launched a chemical attack on the rebel-held area in Idlib.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian general reminded the US government of the “bitter experiences” in Iraq and Afghanistan in the wake of military aggression “under bogus and suspicious pretexts.”

“We hope that the new US administration would not seek the past bitter experiences for the American military forces and people in Syria,” he added.

Condemning the US missile strike as a “criminal aggression” that violates the international regulations, Shamkhani said the move was a testimony to “US continued policy of employment of terrorism to achieve political purposes.”

“Undoubtedly, such measure that will complicate the political and security situation in Syria and create dangerous and unforeseeable processes, will not undermine the Syrian government and nation’s determination to decisively fight against terrorism backed by the Western-Hebrew-Arabic front,” Shamkhani noted.

The senior official finally underlined that Iran continues to monitor the situation in Syria closely, in cooperation with its partners, and regardless of the moves by certain Western states and their regional allies, and will press on with the battle against terrorism vigorously.