Iran on Saturday against any Western military intervention in the Syrian conflict, after the United States suggested it was weighing up such a possibility.
Iran, the chief regional ally of Damascus, said on Saturday there is “proof” Syrian rebels used chemical weapons in their conflict with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
“We are very concerned about information regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and we strongly condemn the use of such weapons,” foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said, quoted by ISNA news agency.
“There is proof terrorist groups carried out this action,” Araqchi said in reference to Wednesday’s allegedly deadly attacks in the Damascus area, without elaborating.
“Many of the innocent people of Syria have been injured and martyred by chemical agents and this is unfortunate,” recently elected Iranian President Rowhani was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency, according to Reuters.
“We completely and strongly condemn the use of chemical weapons,” he said, according to the agency.
“The Islamic Republic gives notice to the international community to use all its might to prevent the use of these weapons anywhere in the world, especially in Syria,” he added.
Rowhani added that Iran, itself a victim of chemical attacks in its 1980-1988 war with Iraq, “totally and vigorously condemned the use of chemical weapon.”
During the conflict, chemical strikes by the Iraqi armed forces killed thousands of Iranians, particularly in civilian areas, according to AFP news agency.
“The Islamic republic of Iran, which was the victim of chemical weapons, asks the international community to do everything to stop the use of these weapons anywhere in the world,” Rowhani said.
On Wednesday, the Syrian opposition reported that forces loyal to the Syrian regime killed at least 1,300 civilians with poison gas in suburbs of Damascus.
(With Reuters and AFP)
