Iran summons British envoy over Syria crisis

Rasa - Iran's Foreign Ministry has summoned the UK chargé d'affaires in Tehran to protest the UK officals' “injudicious” remarks on Tehran’s policies with regard to the crisis in Syria.

News ID: 425837

Date: 16 December 2016 - 23:54

RNA - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Friday that the ministry's deputy director general for West Europe affairs called in the British diplomat in the absence of the country’s ambassador to Tehran “following the UK officials' injudicious remarks and stances on the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran concerning the Syria crisis.”

Iran’s strong protests over the British officials’ “unrealistic” comments were conveyed to the country’s chargé d'affaires, Qassemi said, adding that the diplomat was warned about “the destructive effects of such assertions and stances on Syria’s humanitarian situation as well as international peace and security.”

He further noted that the British diplomat was briefed during the meeting on the Islamic Republic’s policies and measures to restore calm and stability to Syria and provide humanitarian aid to its people.

The Iranian foreign ministry official also underlined the need for the UK government to stop any help and support for terrorist groups.

On Thursday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson summoned the Russian and Iranian ambassadors to convey his "profound concern" over the situation in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

The development came hours after Syria announced the liberation of Aleppo, with President Bashar al-Assad saying it was "history in the making and worthy of more than the word 'congratulations'.”

Iran’s ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad said that he had told Johnson that Iran’s policy toward the situation in Syria has always been based on ensuring the safety of civilians and a halt to the flow of arms and money to militants.

He further expressed hope that the developments in Syria would have proven that the crisis cannot be solved through military measures and that everyone should step in to help work out a political solution to the conflict.

Iran and Britain have been supporting opposite sides to the conflict in Syria, which flared up in 2011.

According to an estimate by United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, the Syria crisis has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 people.

The UN has stopped its official casualty count in Syria, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

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