TEHRAN – Iran says the Canada-led resolution on Syria, while partially acceptable, does ignore key aspects to the crisis, notably the cause root of terrorism.

“It is evident that this crisis is only the effect, and the draft is totally silent on its root cause,” said Deputy Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations Gholamhossein Dehqani in an address to the United Nations General Assembly, IRNA reported on Saturday.

Expressing “outrage” at the escalation of violence in Syria, particularly war-battered Aleppo, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on December 9, demanding an immediate and complete end to all attacks on civilians as well as an end to all sieges in war-ravaged country.

The resolution underscored, inter alia, the urgency of humanitarian aid to the Syrians trapped in Aleppo, which Iran has long before called on the international community to consider.

While acknowledging this part of the resolution, the Iranian representative to the international body called the resolution “a one-sided document and divorced from the reality on the ground in Syria,” for being blind to extremism as the key factor to blame the situation on.

“It is an established fact that terrorism and violent extremism are the root causes of the disaster, and it is the very issue that should be first and foremost addressed by the international community,” he explained.

It is an established fact that terrorism and violent extremism are the root causes of the disaster, and it is the very issue that should be first and foremost addressed by the international community

The extremism, he said, was introduced into the context by “militants and terrorists” who entered into the Syrian territory mainly through lax borders,” and “are supported by some foreign countries”.

Dehqani also urged the international community into multi-pronged efforts to halt the crisis and called for working out a Syrian-Syrian political settlement to the crisis.

“To resolve the crisis in Syria, we need to put an end to terrorist activities and at the same time continue our efforts towards a comprehensive and exclusively Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political settlement, based on dialogue among Syrians without preconditions to end hostilities and reestablish peace and tranquility. These two actions should go hand in hand.”

The Syrian crisis, fought by numerous foreign-backed rebel and terrorist groups, has been on for five years now, leaving millions of Syrian nationals displaced and more than 200,000 dead and wounded.

The move comes at a time when the Syrian army is gaining ground in Aleppo, pushing back terrorists from one of their latest strongholds in the country.  

AK/PA