US playing blame game over Annan resignation: Iran FM

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has criticized the US for playing blame game over the resignation of former UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan.

“The US is playing blame game [over Annan’s resignation], because [it was] the Western countries and certain regional states that sabotaged Annan’s plan,” Salehi told IRNA on Friday, after Washington blamed the envoy’s resignation on Russia and China.

“Annan’s six-point plan was acceptable to Syria and key regional players, but the other side did not allow Annan to successfully implement his plan,” he said, alluding to open criticism of Annan’s plan by certain regional countries, the Arab League and Western states.

Salehi further criticized “the West and certain regional countries” for trying to sabotage Annan’s peace plan, saying, they seek to overthrow the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and replace it with an unspecified government.

Addressing a press conference in Geneva on Thursday, Annan announced decision to end his mission in Syria, citing lack of support and increasing militarization of the unrest.

Annan, who was appointed to the task on February 23, proposed a six-point peace plan to restore calm in Syria.

The proposal envisaged a ceasefire between foreign-backed insurgents and the Syrian government forces, a deal which went into effect in mid-April but failed to end the violence as the insurgents refused to lay down their arms.