Iran slams killing of Al-Manar staff members in Syria

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned the death of the three journalists who worked for Lebanon’s Al-Manar television at the hands of Takfiri militants in Syria.

Al-Manar TV station said on Monday that three of its personnel lost their lives after they came under a shooting attack by the foreign-backed terrorists operating in Syria’s Christian town of Ma’loula.

The Lebanese satellite television identified the men as correspondent Hamza al-Hajj Hassan, technician Halim Allaw and cameraman Mohammed Mantash. Several other crew members were also wounded in the assault.

The shooting came shortly after Syrian armed forces managed to retake the full control of Ma’loula.

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham censured the assassination of the Al-Manar staff members and said the new act of aggression once again sheds light on the dangers of violence and extremism being borderless.

She also pointed to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s proposals for a World Against Violence and Extremism (WAVE), saying, “This bitter incident (the death of Al-Manar staff members) necessitates cooperation among all countries and relevant international organizations to end extremism and violence.”

On September 24, 2013, President Rouhani called for a world against violence and extremism during his speech at the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

On December 5 last year, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a nuclear disarmament resolution based on President Rouhani’s proposals.

Dozens of journalists, including Press TV correspondent Maya Naser, have been killed in Syria since the foreign-backed turmoil erupted in the Arab state more than three years ago.

The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has described Syria as the most dangerous country in the world for journalists, blaming al-Qaeda-linked militants for kidnappings and murders of journalists.