Iran ‘congratulates Syrian army, people’ on Qusayr victory

Iran congratulated the Syrian army and people on Wednesday for their victory over rebels after seizing the strategic town of Qusayr, Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said.

Tehran ‘congratulates the victory of the Syrian army and people over the 'takfiri' terrorists,’ Abdollahian said, using a term for Sunni militants who comprise the majority of the country's rebels.

Iran is a predominantly Shiite Muslim country, and a close ally of Assad, who belongs to the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

‘Certain parties continue to send arms and support terrorist actions in Syria,’ Abdollahian added, saying they ‘are responsible for massacres and destruction in Syria and should be tried for war crimes.’

That was an allusion to some Arab and Western countries, and Turkey, who back the anti-Assad movement.

Earlier on Wednesday, the army and allied fighters from the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah seized control of Qusayr after an 18-day battle.

Iran is Syria's key ally in the Middle East.