Iran Calls for Efforts to Protect Civilians in Syria

Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Majid Takht Ravanchi said that the situation in Syria’s Idlib is very critical, and highlighted that all efforts must be focused on safeguarding the security and lives of civilians.

News ID: 448909

Date: 08 February 2020 - 10:14

RNA - “The situation in this region is grave and efforts should be made to prevent the crisis not going out of control,” Takht Ravanchi said on Thursday, addressing a session of the United Nations with a focus on “situation in Syria’s Idlib”.

While the fight against terrorists must continue, this should be done with the utmost protection for civilians; this is something "we have always" emphasized and in all final documents the Astana process has been emphasized, he said.

Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations called for the implementation of the Sochi Agreement on Idlib, which was also emphasized at the Astana process meetings.

According to Fars News Agency, the envoy stated that we need to make sure that this crisis is resolved politically and not allow terrorists to consolidate their position and make Idlib a safe haven to kill more civilians and keep many of them hostage.

In May, Takht Ravanchi had already voiced Tehran’s serious concern about the lives of civilians endangered by continued presence of terrorists in Idlib, a terrorist-held territory in Syria.

“Should the government allow these internationally designated terrorist groups continue their control over its territory? Should the international community allow such terrorist groups to take a large number of civilians as their hostage?” he said during a United Nations Security Council meeting held over a surge in fighting in Northwestern Syria.

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