Iran says foreign intervention in Syria unacceptable

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman says Tehran rejects foreign intervention in Syria and supports any reform benefitting the Syrian people.

Speaking to reporters in his weekly briefing on Saturday, Ramin Mehmanparast rejected false reports about Iran supplying weapons to the Syrian government to crack down on the opposition.

He emphasized that Iran is opposed to all forms of foreign intervention in Syria and denounces any act of violence as being incompatible with basic human rights and the principles of international law.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s position on Syria is to support any reform benefitting the people of this country and opposition to any meddling of foreign elements in Syrian internal affairs,” he added.

The London-based Telegraph quoted the British Prime Minister David Cameron as claiming on Saturday, February 25, that Iran is supplying the Syrian government with weapons to control the unrest in the country.

“There is now growing evidence that Iran is providing a huge amount of support…. There have been interceptions of some shipments by Turkey which are particularly interesting,” he added.

The French Foreign Ministry leveled similar charges against Iran on January 17, 2012, alleging that Tehran is sending arms and ammunitions to Syria in clear violation of the UN arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.

London and Paris have not been able to provide solid proof to back up their anti-Iran claims.

Syria has been the scene of unrest since mid-March, 2011, with demonstrations being held both against and in support of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters. But Damascus blames ”outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.