Western states responsible for people’s losses in Syria: Larijani

Iran’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani says Western countries are responsible for the losses inflicted on Syrians during the unrest in the Arab country.

Referring to the foreign countries’ support for the terrorist groups in Syria, Larijani said, “These countries are responsible for causing material and spiritual damages to the Syrian people.”

The Iranian Majlis speaker made the remark during a Sunday meeting with visiting Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad.

Larijani praised the resistance of the Syrian nation and leadership against foreign conspiracies, saying the resistance has depicted a bright future for the people of Syria.

Larijani warned that undermining the Syrian government would jeopardize the country’s unity and create various political and security challenges for the region, particularly for Syria’s neighbors.

He reiterated Majlis’s support for the expansion of economic and parliamentary cooperation between Tehran and Damascus.

Al-Miqdad, for his part, praised Iran’s all-out support for the Syrian nation and government, saying the Syrian government and nation are proud to have brotherly relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants fighting the Syrian government are foreign nationals.