Baghdad / SANA- The foreign ministers of Syria, Iraq and Iran stressed during a joint press conference at the end of their talks in Baghdad the necessity of combating terrorist organizations in Syria because their threat is not limited to destabilizing Syria’s security and stability, but also affects the entire region.
Foreign and Expatriates Minister Bassam Sabbagh said this morning important meetings were held with the Iraqi president,Abdul Latif Rashid, the prime minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, Speaker of the Council of Representatives Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani , in addition to the Iraqi and Iranian foreign ministers, which focused on the latest developments in Syria resulting from the continuation of the terrorist attack on the country.
I explained to everyone I met the field developments, security threats and humanitarian conditions, especially since this terrorist attack caused a large wave of displacement of safe civilians. I also presented the efforts made by Syrian state institutions to secure humanitarian needs and continue providing basic services in areas that have gone out of control, Sabbagh added.
We underlined that the Syrian Arab Army and the Syrian armed forces are doing their duty in confronting this terrorist attack, but they were forced to carry out operations that are consistent with the tactics of the battle and repositioning and deployment, Sabbagh went on to say.
He stressed that foreign interventions have become exposed as they are aimed at achieving ambitions and a new division of the region and redraw its political map according to the agendas of hostile parties.
Sabbagh asserted the importance of mobilizing all Arab, regional and international efforts to support the efforts of the Syrian state in confronting terrorism and combating all its forms and condemning the terrorist attacks carried out by the terrorist organization of “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” in addition to supporting Syria’s efforts to preserve its sovereignty, and security of its citizens along with the unity of its territories.
There was solidarity and broad support for the Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity along with the fight against terrorism. There was also a renewal of the need not to accept double standards in dealing with terrorism and combating it without any discrimination, Sabbagh added.
For his part, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, said “we discussed in detail the dangerous security situation and the consequences on other countries, especially Iraq, and there is a clear confirmation that Syria’s security is linked to the security of Iraq and the security of Iraq is related to the security of the region.
The Iraqi Foreign Minister continued, we emphasize the support for the Syrian people by sending humanitarian aid to the displaced in Syria, and we will take the initiative to hold a meeting for a number of countries in Baghdad to discuss the dangerous situation and we will conduct diplomatic contacts in order to reach understandings with representatives of these countries.
In turn, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said that there were three messages for today’s tripartite meeting between the foreign ministers of Iran, Iraq and Syria, the first of which is a message of support for Syria, the government and the people, in its fight against terrorist groups.
The second one is that terrorist threats against Syria will not be limited to Syria, but will pose a threat to all neighboring countries and the entire region. If Syria turns into a safe place for terrorists, we must expect the return of ISIS and the rest of the terrorist groups, and this will pose a major threat to the region, Araghchi continued.
Terrorism knows no borders ,thus we must nip it in the bud, otherwise terrorism will spread to all regions, and if we want to defend and protect our security, we must protect and defend the security of our neighboring countries and help them confront the phenomenon of terrorism, he added.
The third message, Araghchi said, is that we should not differentiate in the issue of fighting terrorism between its groups. “We do not have good terrorism and bad terrorism; thus we must confront all terrorists. Therefore, the countries that do not take action against these movements of terrorist groups and remain silent or support these groups, in my opinion, are responsible for that and must be held accountable for it.”
