Iranian diplomat condemns West’s unilateral, illegal sanctions against Syria

A senior Iranian diplomat has condemned the West for the imposition of unilateral and unlawful sanctions on the Syrian people censuring the international community for its inaction.

Ali Asghar Khaji, a Senior Aide on Political Affairs to Iran’s Foreign Minister, made the remarks on Saturday during a meeting between representatives of Astana guarantor states in the Syrian peace process, including Russia and Turkey, and the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen.

Khaji slammed the West for saying no to Syria's reconstruction until there is a political process on track [meaning a transition away from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad].

He also condemned “the Israeli regime's growing attacks targeting Syrian infrastructure and civilian areas amid international communities’ inaction.”

Pedersen, for his part, thanked Iran, Russia, and Turkey for their cooperation and support for continued consultations to the Syrian Constitutional Committee.

The senior UN official also elaborated on the latest round of talks among Syrian parties within the framework of the constitutional committee talks saying that the “encouraging and positive ambiance” could “pave the way for better results in the future.”

The senior diplomats of the three guarantor states also outlined their views regarding recent developments in Syria and expressed concern over the uptick in the suffering of the Syrian people.

The meeting was held at the end of the 8th round of Syrian Constitutional Committee talks.

The committee, comprising representatives of Syria’s government, opposition, and civil society, is facilitated by the United Nations and seeks to reconcile the Syrian Government headed by President Assad and the Syrian opposition, in the context of the Syrian peace process.

The UN hopes that this would lead to negotiations which would subsequently lead to a peaceful end of the Syrian Civil War.

Since January 2017, Moscow, Tehran, and Ankara have been mediating peace negotiations between representatives of the Syrian government and opposition groups in a series of talks held in the Kazakh capital Astana (now named Nur-Sultan) and other places, including Sochi.

The talks are collectively referred to as the Astana peace process.

The negotiations have helped significantly reduce the violence gripping the Arab country by establishing de-escalation zones there, and also enabling the formation of the Constitutional Committee.

Over the past years, the US has been maintaining an illegal military presence on Syrian soil, collaborating with anti-Damascus militants, and stealing the country’s crude oil resources.

It has also slapped rounds of crippling sanctions on Syria, which has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011.

Parts of the restrictive measures have been imposed under the so-called Caesar Act, a US legislation that alleges to support the Syrian people by protecting them against the Syrian administration’s way of governance.

The bans target almost all Syrian economic and trade activities, as well as the country’s government officials.

002