In a statement released by Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, the Islamic Republic expressed hope that participation of different countries and international organizations in the upcoming “Friends of Syria” conference in capital Tehran would help finding a “peaceful resolution” to the crisis in Syria.
Iran plans to hold the conference of “Friend of Syria” in Tehran on May 29.
The statement criticizes certain countries’ interference in Syria’s internal affairs and calls for helping rebuild the country instead of “shipping arms and munitions.”
“Iran has always criticized the actions by those countries that, while interfering in the Syrian domestic affairs and supporting the extremists and armed and illegal opposition groups, deliver arms to these groups. These countries are, undoubtedly, responsible before the Syrian and world public opinion. Instead of shipping arms and munitions, they should take part in rebuilding Syria,” the statement said.
As the Syrian army is struggling with a massive bloody insurgency throughout the country, US government has stepped up its pressures on the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to leave his post and hand over the country to an opposition group which has turned to be a cover for terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front group.
US senate on Wednesday voted in favor of a bill authorizing the government to provide foreign-sponsored militants in Syria with lethal weapons and military training.
The statement added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always endeavored towards constructing and developing Syria. During the crisis, instead of shipping arms into that country to bring about destruction and stoke conflicts, Iran has provided the Syrians with food, medicine, fuel and the like on a constant basis to enhance the livelihood of the Syrian people.”
The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
Tehran held two meetings on Syria and has been an active member of a contact group, proposed by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in 2012, comprising Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, it noted.