Iranian Minister Deplores Regional Countries’ Stance on Syria

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi blasted the attitude and policy of certain regional countries towards the crisis in Syria, and said that the so-called ‘Friends of Syria’ are seeking Israel’s friendship rather being worried about terrorist operations and deaths in Syria.

On Sunday, several Persian Gulf Arab states and the United States pledged 100 million dollars to provide salaries and communications equipment for Syrian terrorists fighting against the government.

The countries, led by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, made the offer at an Istanbul conference of the “Friends of Syria”, a grouping of some 70 Western and Arab countries, which Damascus calls the “enemies of Syria”.

Speaking to reporters on the sideline of an international gathering on elimination of land mines here in Tehran on Tuesday, Vahidi stated that friends of Syria should back the policy of reforms in that country and not allow the region to experience another sad event.

“They are seeking the friendship of Israel rather than being a friend of Syria,” Vahidi said, and blasted certain states’ silence on terrorist attacks in Syria.

Stressing that certain western countries favor insecurity in the region, the minister further recommended friendly and regional countries not to be deceived by the West in order to avoid mishaps in the region.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country.

Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes.

The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

In October, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after President Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but Israel, the US and its Arab allies are seeking hard to bring the country into chaos through any possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of stirring unrests in Syria once again.