Iran, Venezuela Top Diplomats Discuss Crisis in Syria
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Foreign ministers of Iran and Venezuela conferred on the most recent regional and international developments, especially the recent escalation in Syria as the US has threatened to attack the country militarily.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Venezuelan counterpart Elias Jose Jaua Milano, in a telephone conversation on Sunday, explored the avenues for strengthening bilateral ties, and discussed the Syrian crisis as the specter of an imminent US attack hangs over the country.
During the conversation, the Venezuelan diplomat voiced his country’s vehement opposition to any military action against Syria, saying the turmoil in the Arab country should be resolved through political solutions not through use of force.
He also expressed the willingness of his country and other Latin American states to enhance ties with Tehran.
Zarif, for his part, warned against the dire consequences of a military strike against Damascus, saying, “Using force has very dangerous consequences…which are not within the control of the initiator.”
Over the past days, the US and its allies have been working on a scheme to take military action against Syria after foreign-backed opposition forces accused President Bashar al-Assad’s government of having launched a chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21, a charge the Syrian government has strongly denied.
The Iranian foreign minister further denounced any use of chemical weapons, adding that it is unclear who committed the heinous gas attack in Syria.
The US and France seem to be the only western countries ready to strike Syria, but recent opinion polls in both countries have shown strong opposition to a military involvement there.
Britain has already voted against taking any military action on Syria, and France has said it will not act without the United States as a partner. US President Barack Obama has vowed military action but postponed a strike against Syria on Saturday so he could seek authorization first from a deeply skeptical Congress.