Iran warns threat of armed groups would put Syrian neighbors at risk

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned the threat of armed groups active in Syria would not only include Syria, but also would spread to Iraq, Jordan, and Turkey.

News ID: 5544

Date: 07 December 2024 - 08:33

TABNAK, Dec 07: Speaking in a joint press conference with his Iraqi and Syrian counterparts Fuad Hussein and Bassam Sabbagh in Baghdad, he warned, “If Syria becomes a safe haven for terrorists and the ground is prepared for the return of terrorist groups, including Daesh, this will pose a major threat to the entire region.”

Pointing to three messages of the tripartite meeting in Baghdad, he said, “The first message is to support the Syrian government and people in the fight against Takfiri terrorist groups.”

He expressed confidence that Takfiri terrorist groups are carrying out their attacks as part of an American-Zionist plot, emphasizing, “The role of the Zionists in designing this conspiracy should not be overlooked.” “Iran has always supported the Syrian government and people in their fight against terrorist groups and will continue to do so with all its might and with whatever is needed and requested by the Syrian government,” Araqchi pointed out. The top Iranian diplomat once again warned that terrorism knows no bounds, saying the fight against the scourge should not be limited to borders.

“In order to protect our own security, we must support the security of our neighbors in the fight against terrorism,” he pointed out. He urged a non-discriminatory fight against terrorism, saying the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Nusra Front have been designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations. Syria has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011, with Damascus saying the Western states and their regional allies are aiding terrorist groups to wreak havoc in the Arab country.

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham armed group launched a large-scale attack in Aleppo and Idlib provinces in the northwest of Syria on November 27, seizing several areas. Since then, the Syrian government forces have been engaged in fierce clashes to regain ground.

The Iraqi foreign minister condemned the ongoing attacks in Syria by terrorists who are listed as a terrorist group by the UN. Hussein said his country has been a victim of terrorism and will continue to fight it. He added that security of Iraq links to security in Syria and other neighboring countries.

Hussein underscored the importance of preventing the spread of war and terrorist attacks to his country, saying the Iraqi armed and security forces as well as fighters of the resistance movement Hashd al-Shaabi and Kurdish Peshmerga are fully prepared to protect the country’s territory and people. Sabbagh said the Syrian army is conducting its duties to fight terrorist groups, adding that the moves by terrorist groups have displaced a portion of his country’s people.

The Syrian foreign minister added that supporters of the terrorist groups have violated resolutions of the United Nations and Security Council as well as the agreements of the Astana peace process. He emphasized that dangerous terrorist threats are not threatening only Syrian security but endanger security of the entire region, He called for regional and international efforts to combat terrorist groups.