Iranian Speaker Slams US Plan for Boosting Support to Syrian Rebels
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday lashed out at the White House for its decision to ramp up support for the rebels fighting against the Syrian government.
Addressing the second parliamentary meeting of the friends of Syria, held in Tehran on Sunday, Larijani slammed the US pledge of increased support for the armed opposition groups in Syria as yet another “abysmal record” for Washington.
"There is no honor in arming or funding the terrorists who kill people in Syria. This is indeed an abysmal record for the US," said the Iranian parliament speaker.
His comments came shortly after US President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday to increase US support for the rebels fighting to topple the Syrian government.
"I will work with Congress to ramp up support for those in the Syrian opposition who offer the best alternative to terrorists and a brutal dictator," Obama said in a keynote speech to the West Point military academy on May 28.
Moreover, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that the US, Britain, and European and Arab states are to increase all aspects of support for the mainstream Syrian opposition fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.
Washington and its Western and regional allies have been sponsoring the insurgency against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since 2011.
Since then, the US has provided the insurgents with aid worth of nearly $300 million so far. The country has recently given TOW anti-tank missiles to the Free Syrian Army.
Opposition leaders have been lobbying Washington to provide moderate fighters with more powerful weapons, including antiaircraft missile launchers, so they can take out Assad's helicopters and attack planes.
Reports have shown that the Central Intelligence Agency is covertly training foreign-sponsored Syrian militants in neighboring Jordan.
