FM says Iran supports any Syrian gov’t backed by public
US advised to unblock Iranian seized assets as trust-building step
Iran expressed support for any government in Syria which is backed by the Arab country’s people after the administration of former president Bashar al-Assad was toppled by militants in December last year.
In an interview with Qatar-based Al Jazeera TV channel, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also affirmed that Tehran will support stability and integrity of Syrian territory.
The Islamic Republic had been one of the main allies of the former government in Syria and had helped the country to root out the foreign-backed terrorists, including the Daesh, after the country was gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy in 2011.
However, armed militants, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), took control of Syrian capital, Damascus, on December 8 and declared an end to Assad’s rule in a surprise offensive that was launched from their stronghold in northwestern Syria, reaching the capital in less than two weeks.
Iran pulled out its military advisors from the country after new rulers took control of the country.
Since then, Iran has repeatedly underlined that it supports Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as its principled policy.
Tehran has also highlighted the need for an inclusive Syrian government, which would include all political, ethnic and religious groups.
The Iranian government has also expressed Tehran’s readiness to reopen its embassy in Damascus, which was closed after the takeover of the country by militants.
In a statement on December 8, Iran’s Foreign Ministry reiterated the status of Syria as an “important and influential” country in the West Asia region and said the Islamic Republic will spare no effort to help Damascus establish security and stability.
Trust-building step
During the interview, Iran’s foreign minister also responded to a question about the possibility of negotiations between Tehran and the new administration in the United States.
Araghchi said the history of relations between Tehran and Washington is full of distrust which will not be dispelled with a single word.
Araghchi said the history of relations between Tehran and Washington is full of the US hostility towards Iran. Citing the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and the assassination of Iran’s anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top diplomat said, “All of these events created a history full of hostility and, most importantly, a history full of distrust between Iran and the US. Of course, all of this cannot be compensated for with one word.”
In response to the question of what steps the US should take to win Iran’s trust, Araghchi said there are many steps they can take. The release of Iran’s assets that has been blocked by the US in different countries is an example of steps that can be taken to gain Iran’s trust.
Positive signals are coming from Tehran and Washington as the two countries’ presidents prioritize negotiations to settle their disputes, not least over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
Since taking office last July, the new Iranian administration has repeatedly voiced its readiness to hold talks with the Western countries to resolve their disputes over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
In recent months, Iran and European parties to the nuclear deal – France, Germany and the UK – have also held several rounds of talks on Iran’s nuclear program and have agreed to resume the negotiations in the future.
In 2015, Iran proved the peaceful nature of its nuclear program to the world by signing the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with six world powers.
However, Washington’s unilateral withdrawal and its subsequent re-imposition of sanctions left the future of the deal in limbo.