Iran denies its forces fighting for Assad
US imposes further sanctions on Tehran
DUBAI: Iran denied yesterday it had forces in Syria supporting President Bashar Al-Assad’s army, one day after foreign backers of his rebel foes demanded Tehran withdraw its fighters from Syrian territory. “The true enemies of Syria make up these accusations to provoke the people of this country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said, quoted by Iranian state television.
At a meeting in Jordan on Thursday, the Friends of Syria grouping of Western and Arab governments called for the immediate withdrawal from Syria of Iranian fighters and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas. They were reported to be fighting alongside the Syrian army and militias loyal to Assad in the town of Qusair, near the Lebanese border.
“In response to a question about accusations that Iranian and Hezbollah forces were present in Syria, Abbas Araqchi said Iranian forces have never been and are not present in Syria,” the state television report said. Iran, a Shiite Muslim nation, is Assad’s closest ally and has provided money, weapons, intelligence and training for his forces against a mainly Sunni Muslim uprising in which more than 80,000 people have been killed in two years.
Russia and the United States are trying to arrange an international peace conference to end the war. Moscow has said Iran should attend but Western reservations about a role for Tehran already threaten to derail the conference. Iran has called for elections and reforms in Syria but does not accept Assad’s removal, saying a solution to the crisis cannot be imposed from outside. Tehran has also accused Western and Arab nations of arming opposition groups.
Analysts say that losing its Syrian ally would weaken Iran’s ability to threaten its foe Israel through Hezbollah.
The United States has imposed curbs against 20 individuals and entities for their involvement in Iran’s nuclear activities. The US Department of the Treasury said in a statement, released late on Thursday, “that it is taking action today against 20 individuals and entities for their involvement in Iran’s nuclear and missile proliferation networks and Iran’s continued attempts to circumvent sanctions.”
It added that “these networks are responsible for moving supplies and providing essential services to Iran’s clandestine nuclear and weapons programs.” “These actions are designed to increase pressure on the Iranian regime by tightening sanctions against Iran’s energy sector and exposing key proliferation related networks that span the globe from Europe to Asia,” it stressed.
In this regard, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen affirmed in a statement “as long as Iran continues to pursue a nuclear and ballistic mis- sile program in defiance of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions, the US will target and disrupt those involved in Iran’s illicit activities.” “We will continue to work with our international partners to intensify this pressure and tighten sanctions on Iran’s energy sector as it provides much needed financial support for the Iranian regime’s proliferation activity,” he remarked.
According to the Treasury, 14 of the entities and individuals being designated today are part of Iran’s international procurement and proliferation operations. Today’s designations include companies supporting IRGC attempts to clandestinely ship illicit cargo around the world, including to Syria. They also target the Deputy Defense Minister and Dean of Malek Ashtar University, who is responsible for significant contributions to Iran’s missile program, as well as companies and individuals supporting Iran’s nuclear program.