Iran slams EU over lifting arms embargo on Syria militants

European Union foreign ministers agreed, after lengthy talks among divided ministers in Brussels, to lift the arms embargo on the militants in Syria.

In his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi said the decision will simply complicate the situation in Syria and hamper international efforts aimed at finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria.

“At a time when different Syrian opposition groups show more willingness to participate in the Geneva meeting to reach a political solution [to the unrest in Syria], such measures are considered disruptive and undermining these diplomatic efforts,” he said.

On May 7, Russia and the United States agreed in Moscow to convene an international conference on Syria, which will serve as a follow-up to an earlier Geneva meeting held in June 2012. The upcoming meeting will reportedly be held in June.

Araqchi also said the crisis in Syria can only be resolved politically, reaffirming Iran’s readiness to help resolve the situation in such a manner.

Referring to the upcoming Friends of Syria Conference due on May 29 in the Iranian capital, Tehran, Araqchi said that representatives from 40 countries will take part in the meeting, which also aims to find a political solution to the unrest in Syria.

The conference will be held under the banner of “Political Solution – Regional Stability.”

Araqchi also noted that the upcoming Geneva meeting on Syria should be all-inclusive and involve all the parties that can help resolve the crisis in the Arab country.

Iran has repeatedly expressed its opposition to any foreign intervention in Syria’s internal affairs, stressing that inclusive dialog and national reconciliation as well as free elections are the keys to resolving the unrest in the Arab country.

The unrest in Syria erupted over two years ago and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

Saudi Arabia’s anti-Iran allegations

Commenting on the recent anti-Iran remarks by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, Araqchi said, “These statements are regrettable. Iran and Saudi Arabia are two important and influential countries in the region.”

Araqchi added that, despite having serious disagreements over certain issues, Iran and Saudi Arabia both have common goals and objectives in the Muslim world and the region.

The Iranian official said these differences must be resolved through bilateral talks and consultations, adding that leveling accusations and adopting aggressive stances neither improve bilateral ties nor resolve regional problems.

On May 21, Saudi Arabia’s state media reported that the country had arrested 10 more suspects in what it claimed was a spy ring linked to Iran. The kingdom had arrested 18 other people with the same pretext in March 2012.

The following day, Faisal said that his country would protest to the UN over the issue, adding that “no country is allowed to recruit individuals to work against Saudi Arabia.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry had last week dismissed Saudi Arabia’s anti-Iran allegations.