Iran Welcomes African Union’s Stance on Syria Developments

In remarks made on Wednesday, Qassemi hailed the African Union’s statement which condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria and stressed the need for close examination of the facts by independent authorities and the need for a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

The Iranian spokesman said the adoption of such a stance by the African Union regarding the developments in Syria undoubtedly reflects the full understanding of the Union of the international developments.

“This statement shows to what extent the use of chemical weapons is rejected from the viewpoint of mindful international actors,” he noted.

On the other hand, he added, it reflects the view of these actors that the Syrian crisis could only be resolved through political dialogue.

The African Union issued a strongly worded statement condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria and cautioning against responding without ‘incontrovertible evidence’ and compliance with international law.

The statement asked members of the United Nations Security Council to put aside their differences and pursue global peace.

“In the face of this dire situation, the only sensible course of action is the intensification of international efforts to find a lasting political solution based solely on the interests of the Syrian people and respecting the territorial integrity of Syria,” read the statement.

The United States, Britain and France launched military air strikes on multiple government targets in Syria in the wee hours of Saturday morning in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people on April 7 in the Damascus suburb of Douma.