Rouhani Says US Airstrikes in Syria Criminal

KABUL: (Middle East Press) President Hassan Rouhani says the US-led airstrikes in Syria are unlawful since they are not approved coordinated with the Syrian government.

Rouhani said in a Tuesday meeting with a number of news editors in New York where he is to attend the UN General Assembly annual session, “assault by one or several countries or even one coalition is meaningless without legal basis and can be considered as an act of hostility.”

He described as “contradictory” efforts to concurrently combat terrorists in Syria while development armed and terrorist groups against the government in the country.

“This contradictory behavior is not logical that a country says I am fighting terrorism and at the same time provides political assistance to groups opposed to a country’s central government and even trains some people outside the country and sends them into that country to fight and wage a war against the central government. This will definitely not end in success,” the Iranian president added.

He stressed the importance of restoring stability to Syria as an important step to eliminate terrorism in the conflict-stricken country, saying, “First of all, stability must be restored to this country and restoration of stability in Syria will be impossible without the central government’s help even if there is criticism of the government’s performance,” Rouhani pointed.

He highlighted that terrorism must be uprooted in Syria and grounds should be prepared for the return of Syrian refugees from neighboring countries such as Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon so that the country will experience security and calm.

The airstrikes came as Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in late August had warned Washington against carrying out airstrikes on the Takfiri ISIL terrorists in Syria without Damascus’ approval.