Iran urges US to leave Syria, stop shielding terrorists

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iranian permanent envoy to the UN Majid Takht Ravanchi said the US must end illegal occupation of Syria and stop protecting terrorist groups under the guise of anti-terrorism fight.

Takht Ravanchi made the remarks on Monday addressing a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council dubbed “Middle East: Syria – Political".

“Sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria must be fully respected by all, and accordingly, all foreign forces whose presence is not permitted by the Syrian Government must leave the Syrian territory,” the Iranian diplomat said.

“In this regard, the living example is the occupation of certain parts of Syria by the US forces who continue to support and shield terrorist groups under the mask of combatting terrorism,” he added.

He further rejected any separatist agendas as well as “any and all attempts to create new realities on the ground, including through illegitimate self-rule initiatives.”

The envoy lashed out at the Israeli illegal occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights and said the US’ recognition of the region’s annexation to Israel is null and void.

“Condemning such unlawful irresponsible act, we stress that Golan is and will remain a part and parcel of the Syrian territory,” he added.

Takht Ravanchi also condemned Israel’s aggressions against Syria as a “gross violation of international law and the UN Charter”, underling that the Syrian government has a sovereign right to decide how and when to exercise its inherent right to individual or collective self-defense.

“Such aggressions must come to an end,” he urged.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said that the US’s long-term practice has led to deep hatred by many countries in the world and the Americans will be expelled from Iraq and Syria.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the representatives of political, scientific, cultural and student groups on Sunday.

"The US government’s performance in the long-term has resulted in its being abominated by many countries due to its warmongering, training terrorists, helping despotic and ill-reputed governments, unstinting support for the Zionist regime’s increasing oppression and the recent scandalous management of coronavirus," the Supreme Leader said.

"The Americans won’t stay in Iraq and Syria; they’ll be expelled," he added.

“Today, the American society and political system are detested in an important part of the world," the Supreme Leader stressed.

He further said that part of this hatred for the US stems from its current officials’ conduct, including its president and its talkative, illogical, and nonsensical secretary of state.

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