Senior Cleric Condemns US Cruise Missile Attacks on Syria’s Airbase

Addressing a large and fervent congregation of the people on Tehran University campus on Friday, Hojjatoleslam Seddiqi said, “The US with its savage attacks on Syria which were against international norms and laws proved its aggressive and savage behavior to the international community.”

He underlined that unilateral attack on an independent country in the absence of international authorization shows that they should be disarmed.

“They (the US officials) do not recognize the law and do not follow faith and do not believe in God, we condemn the US attack on Syria,” Hojjatoleslam Seddiqi said.

Last Thursday, the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in al-Shayrat, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city of Homs. US President Donald Trump said the attack was a response to the alleged chemical weapon use in Syria’s Idlib last Tuesday, which Washington blames on the Syrian government.

Russia described the attack as an aggression against a sovereign state. Following the US military action, Russia decided to suspend its memorandum of understanding on air safety over Syria with the United States, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Earlier in April, the Syrian opposition claimed that forces loyal to President Bashar Assad had used a chemical gas on people in the Northwestern province, killing nearly 80 and injuring 200. Assad argued his government has no chemical weapons after agreeing to have them destroyed in 2013. He also ruled out having used chemicals against own people.