Tehran Urges Halt of Foreign Aid to Terrorists in Syria

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian called for exerting pressure on the regional and international parties to stop funding and arming terrorist groups in Syria, and prevent terrorists’ move across the borders.

Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with Syria’s Ambassador to Tehran Adnan Mahmoud in Tehran on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Abdollahian stressed the need for providing the necessary regional and international support to implement the political program announced by President Bashar al-Assad to solve the crisis in Syria and prepare the ground for dialogue between the government and all spectrums of the opposition which reject violence and believe in political solution to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people.

He noted that the developments of the situation in Syria go against the direction planned by the West, the US and their regional agents who have been fighting for almost two years against the Syrian people.

Abdollahian reiterated Iran’s firm support for the Syrian government and people in their efforts to restore security and stability in the Arab country.

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.

The US and its western and regional allies have long sought to topple Assad and his ruling system. Media reports said that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The US daily, Washington Post, reported in May that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups battling the President Bashar al-Assad’s government have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The newspaper, quoting opposition activists and US and foreign officials, reported that Obama administration officials emphasized the administration has expanded contacts with opposition military forces to provide the Persian Gulf nations with assessments of rebel credibility and command-and-control infrastructure.

Opposition activists who several months ago said the rebels were running out of ammunition said in May that the flow of weapons – most bought on the black market in neighboring countries or from elements of the Syrian military in the past – has significantly increased after a decision by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Persian Gulf states to provide millions of dollars in funding each month.

Early in January, President Assad called for a reconciliation conference with “those who have not betrayed Syria”, to be followed by the formation of a new government and an amnesty.

“The first stage of a political solution would require that regional powers stop funding and arming (the opposition), an end to terrorist operations and controlling the borders,” he said.

“We will not have dialogue with a puppet made by the West,” he said.