Iran Calls Training, Equipping Syrian Rebels "Violation of Int'l Law"
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham deplored the recent deal to train and arm the so-called moderate rebels in Syria, saying that the move is the blatant violation of International Law.
On February 19, the United States and Turkey signed an agreement to train and equip what they call moderate Syrian opposition fighters.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman said the move will be the repetition of past strategic mistakes which resulted in emergence of terrorist groups such as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Jabhat al-Nusra.
Afkham said the approach adopted by United States and some other countries to continue the wrong policies will have no outcome but destruction and death of more innocent people.
She also called on Washington and its allies to at least respect the UN Security Council resolutions specially the resolution 2199 and take serious measures to wipe the financial and logestic resources of terrorism and stop flow of weapons and fighters into Syria.
On January 16, the Pentagon also unveiled plans for deployment of 400 trainers and hundreds more troops in a train-and-equip mission for Syrian rebel forces.
The American troops will be deployed starting in early spring on six- to eight-week missions in three countries -Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia- as part of the Obama administration's plan to expand training for the so-called moderate Syrian rebels.
Iranain officials frequently said the Pentagon’s train-and-equip mission for the so-called moderate Syrian opposition will bolster terrorism, calling for the United Nations’ action to stop the plan.
