Iran censured the recent mortar attack on Damascus University

A senior Iranian official has censured the recent mortar attack on Damascus University, and the assassination and mutilation of a cleric by foreign-backed militants in the city of Aleppo.

On Sunday, Director General of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Office for Middle East and North Africa Reza Ameri expressed opposition to any foreign intervention in Syria, and said the sponsors of the brutal carnage of defenseless Syrians must expect a strong response from the Syrian nation.

“Unfortunately, we are witnessing the negative roles of certain regional parties in the Syrian crisis that seek to start a civil war in Syria through shipping weapons to the militant groups in the country,” Ameri pointed out.

The Iranian diplomat noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to support the Syrian nation, describing diplomacy and national dialog as the best way to end the violence in Syria.

He also stressed the need for effective measures to immediately stop the cruel massacre of Syrians by terrorist groups.

On Saturday, the militants, reportedly members of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front, decapitated Sheikh Hasan Saif al-Deen before dragging his lifeless body on the streets of Aleppo.

They also hung the sheikh’s head on the minaret of Al-Hassan Mosque, where he used to lead prayers.

The official Syrian news agency SANA said the cleric’s body was “mutilated” after the “assassination.”

Sheikh Saif al-Deen purportedly had anti-militant views and spoke out against the ongoing war against the Syrian government.

Meanwhile, fifteen students were killed and more than 20 others wounded on March 28 when foreign-sponsored militants targeted the Damascus University with mortar shells.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants fighting in the country are foreign nationals.