Iranian, Russian Presidents Discuss US Syria Strike over Phone

In a phone call on Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin stressed the importance of further supporting the Syrian people in their fight against Takfiri terrorists.

“We condemn the US missile attacks on Syria and regard them as a case of explicit violation of the sovereignty of an independent country,” the Iranian president said.

“It is imperative that this unilateral US move be discussed and condemned at the United Nations Security Council,” he added.

He also deplored the use of chemical arms in Syria, saying, “Reports indicate that terrorists have access to chemical weapons and the US strikes will prompt terrorist groups to use chemical weapons once again.”

At least 86 people were killed in a gas attack in the Syrian town of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib Province. Anti-Damascus militants and Western countries rushed to blame Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the incident, without providing any evidence to support their accusations.

Rouhani emphasized that the US airstrikes against Syria were an attempt to strengthen terrorists and lashed out at some regional countries for their support for Washington’s move.

“We should not allow the path created in the fight against terrorism to change through some countries’ support for the recent US measure,” the Iranian president pointed out.

He reiterated Tehran’s stance that the crisis in Syria can only be solved through political and not military approaches and expressed the Islamic Republic’s readiness to hold consultation and cooperation with Russia on the battle against terrorists.

He warned that the US attacks would create a rift among countries in fighting against terrorism and divert the political negotiations about Syria into a military direction.

The Russian president, for his part, condemned the US strikes against Syria as an unacceptable move and a bid to support terrorists.

He said the United Nations has acknowledged that the Syrian government does not possess chemical weapons, adding that Washington’s missile strikes were a pre-planned move which would fail to help solve the Syrian crisis.

Putin called for the strengthening of unilateral and multilateral cooperation among Iran and regional countries to fight terrorists.

US warships deployed to the eastern Mediterranean launched a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles against Shayrat Airfield, southeast of the western Syrian city of Homs, on Friday.

Washington ordered the assault after accusing the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad of carrying out a chemical attack against Khan Shaykhun.