MOSCOW, September 13 (RIA Novosti) – The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani blamed Washington for violating Syria’s and other regional countries’ sovereignty, Straits Times reports.
“The US seeks to continue its unilateralism and violate the countries’ sovereignty under the pretext of fighting terrorism,” said Shamkhani in a statement, cited by the official IRNA news agency.
He also expressed his doubts concerning the efficiency of US counterterrorism policy, claiming that airstrikes targeting ISIS fighters won’t have any positive effect and will only strengthen the radical group’s positions.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani supported Shamkhani’s position, calling US strategy “irrational”. He said that US way of countering terrorism would not lead to transformation in the Middle-East and help to dismantle ISIS, but rather cause waves of alienation and resentment in the region.
The US government is currently creating a broad international coalition to battle the ISIS terrorist group. According to BBC, US President Barack Obama announced his readiness to conduct military operations in Syria in order to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the terrorist organization.
Iran’s political leaders mentioned that US counterterrorism policy is characterized by double standards, which have contributed to growth and spread of terrorism internationally.
“Some of the countries in the coalition are among financial and military supporters of terrorists in Iraq and Syria and some others have reneged on their international duties in the hope of [seeing] their desired political changes in Iraq and Syria,” said Marziyeh Afkham, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman.
She discredited the US approach to fighting terrorism in various countries and considered the US government’s intention to fight root causes of terrorism questionable.
It is not the first time Iran has expressed its criticism and disapproval with US foreign policy. As Guardian reported in August, Iranian authorities refused to cooperate with US in fight against terrorism, criticizing US intervention in Iraq and accusing American government of promoting its interests in the region.
