Occupying US forces must immediately leave Syria: Iran’s UN envoy

Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations says all American forces that are currently occupying parts of Syria must immediately leave the Arab country.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi made the remarks in a Monday address to the United Nations Security Council, during which he emphasized that the sole solution to the crisis in Syria would be a peaceful one conforming to the international law.

He stressed that all foreign forces that are present in Syria without the Damascus government’s approval, particularly the American troops that are occupying parts of Syria, must leave the country as soon as possible.

“The Syrian people do not accept continued occupation of their soil or violation of their country’s sovereignty and the international community should not concede to it either, because it contravenes the most basic principles of the international law," he said. 

Takht-Ravanchi also strongly condemned frequent attacks by US forces and Israel in Iraq and Syria, noting that such illegal measures only worsen the situation in an already tense region.

“The Syrian crisis has no military solution and the sole way to end it would be a peaceful one in total conformity to principles of the international law and articles of the Charter of the United Nations,” he said.

Iran’s envoy also called on the international community to put an end to Israel's military adventurism in the region.

A US-led military coalition has been active inside Syria under the pretext of fighting Daesh since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate. The US military strikes in the Arab country have on many occasions resulted in civilian casualties and failed to fulfill their declared aim of countering terrorism.

Late in February, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh condemned the attacks on areas east of Syria by US troops, saying the illegal bases run by American forces in the country are used to train terrorists for later use against the government in Damascus.

“Illegal American bases on the Syrian soil are training terrorists and using them as a means [against the Damascus government],” Khatibzadeh said.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting on Syria in November, Takht-Ravanchi said the US is plundering the Syrian nation’s wealth and oil resources while supporting terrorist groups in the Arab country, calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of American troops from the war-ravaged country.

He added that the full, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the US forces from Syria is essential.

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