UN resolution on Aleppo to fuel tension in Syria: Iran senior official Ali Shamkhani

Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (Photo by Tasnim news agency)

A senior Iranian official has warned that a recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution on the deployment of UN observers to the Syrian city of Aleppo could result in more tension in the Arab country.

On Monday, the UNSC unanimously approved a resolution urging the immediate deployment of UN monitors to watch over evacuations from Aleppo.

UNSC Resolution 2328 cannot help the settlement of the Syrian crisis and it could cause further tension in the country as it fails to take into account the Syrian people’s conditions and problems as well as the role of the Damascus government, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said on Wednesday, adding that the UN resolution merely focuses on saving terrorists.

The high-ranking Iranian official said Western countries and the sponsors of terrorists had a history of taking advantage of ceasefires to strengthen militants, and underlined the need for measures aimed at cutting support for terrorists.

“Instead of biased resolutions and statements, serious resolve is needed to block the funneling of arms, forces and financial aid” to militants in Syria, he said.

He lauded the “strategic victories” by the Syrian army and resistance fighters in Aleppo and said “the resistance and steadfastness of the Syrian nation and government against terrorists set a good example to regional countries, showing a strong response to countries and coalitions that blatantly support terrorists.”  

The adoption of the UN resolution comes as the process of evacuation of formerly militant-held eastern Aleppo resumed on Wednesday after being halted for a day.  

Syrian evacuees from the recently-liberated eastern part of Aleppo arrive at a refugee camp in at the militant-held town of al-Rashideen, Syria, December 20, 2016. (Photo by AP)

The Aleppo evacuation is part of a fragile ceasefire deal, brokered by Turkey and Russia last week, which also allows residents of militant-besieged Foua and Kefraya in the neighboring province of Idlib to leave the two villages. Earlier, the militants attacked buses used to evacuate civilians in the two villages and set them on fire. 

Shamkhani condemned militants for preventing the evacuation of civilians from the two villages and called on the international community to take action against such measures adopted by the Takfiris.

Earlier on Wednesday, militants said they had reached an agreement with the government in Damascus to complete their withdrawal from Aleppo.

The Syrian forces wrested control over Aleppo last week, marking a significant victory against militants since the beginning of the foreign-backed conflict in the Arab country in 2011.