Iran FM: US, Israeli actions in Syria meant to prop up terrorists’ morale
Russia and the United States traded threats at a United Nations Security Council meeting over reports of a deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta.
“There was no chemical weapons attack,” Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council on Monday.
Nebenzia said that Russia has warned the US of “grave repercussions” if it carries out an attack against Syrian government forces over reports of the suspected attack.
“Through the relevant channels we already conveyed to the US that armed force under mendacious pretext against Syria – where, at the request of the legitimate government of a country, Russian troops have been deployed – could lead to grave repercussions,” he said.
He added that investigators with the global chemical weapons watchdog should travel to Syria to investigate accusations concerning the attack.
“Our military, radiological, biological, chemical unit was on site with the alleged chemical accident and it confirmed that there was no chemical substances found on the ground. There were no dead bodies found. There were no poisoned people in the hospitals. The doctors in Douma denied that there were people who came to the hospital claiming that they were under the chemical attack. The Syrian Red (Crescent) that was said to be treating people which were poisoned denied that it was ever doing that today,” he added.
Nebenzia also said that investigators with the global chemical weapons watchdog should fly to Syria to look into accusations about the attack, offering them protection from Syrian authorities and Russian troops.
The alleged chemical attack on Saturday in the terrorist-held town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta reportedly left dozens dead.
During the UNSC meeting, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that Washington “will respond” to incident regardless of whether the UN Security Council takes action or not.
“History will record this as the moment when the Security Council either discharged its duty or demonstrated its utter and complete failure to protect the people of Syria,” she said. “Either way, the United States will respond.”
Also present at the meeting, Syria’s Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari denied that Syria was involved in the alleged attack. He also condemned an Israeli attack on a Syrian military airbase in Homs Province.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Monday that two Israeli F-15 warplanes carried out strikes from Lebanese airspace on the T-4 airbase on Sunday, killing and wounding several people.
Boosting terrorists’ morale
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday told reporters that the fresh claims of the chemical attack by the Syrian government and threats of a military response to the alleged incident are yet another attempt by the US and its allies to boost the morale of terror groups, which are taking heavy blows on the battlefield in the Arab state.
Asked about Israel’s missile attack on the Syrian airbase, the top Iranian diplomat said it was not unprecedented.
“The situation of Us-backed terrorists is Syria is not good and every day they are suffering new blows. The Zionist regime and the US have in different stages rushed to the scene to boost the morale of terrorists,” he said.
“Whenever the terrorists face defeats, the Zionist regime launches operations and so do the Americans,” he added.
Zarif warned of the repercussions of the “dangerous” policies adopted by Washington and Tel Aviv in the region, among them the relocation of Daesh terrorists.
“These policies are very dangerous and their outcome will be dangerous for both regional and international peace and security as well as the US itself,” he added.
Asked about the alleged gas attack in Douma, Zarif reiterated Iran’s opposition to any use of chemical weapons by any party, adding, however, “We think the US government is seeking a pretext for intervention.”
Reuters and Press TV contributed to this story.