Iranian Advisor Slams US War Rhetoric on Syria

Senior Advisor to the Iranian Parliament Speaker Hossein Sheikholeslam lashed out at the US for intensifying its war rhetoric against Syria.

“Washington seeks to legitimize its plotted military strike on Syria by securing a green light from American legislators, but congressional approvals are considered legitimate only within the US system,” Sheikholeslam said.

“It is crystal clear that US President Barack Obama’s decision to attack Syria does not have international legitimacy,” Sheikholeslam added.

The call for military action against Syria intensified after foreign-backed opposition forces accused the Syrian government of launching a chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21.

Damascus has vehemently denied the accusations, saying the chemical attack was carried out by the militants themselves as a false flag operation.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and a total of 7.8 million of others displaced due to the violence.