Damascus, Sep.27 (SANA) Foreign Ministry adviser for the Afro-Asian Affairs Mohammad al-Jaffal said Syria’s stance toward Iranian policy was not a temporary political one, but the result of 14 years of war, killing, displacement and destruction, as well as Iran’s role in supporting the ousted Assad regime.
“Iran’s support for the ousted regime, at the expense of the Syrian people, contributed to complicating the crisis and bringing further suffering to Syrians. This cannot be ignored when discussing relations between the two countries,’ Jaffal told SANA on Sunday.
He added the new Syria is following an open policy toward all countries, but it cannot disregard what has happened or the rights of Syrians.
“If Iran wants to build a new relationship with Syria, it must respect Syria’s sovereignty and the will of its people, reassess its previous policies and work to build trust,” Jaffal said.
He added that Syria today is not an arena of influence for any country. Its foreign relations will be based on mutual respect, national interests and relations between equals.
“Syria does not seek hostility with any country, nor does it seek dependence on any country. Rather, it seeks balanced relations that respect its sovereignty and the choices of its people,” the Syrian diplomat said.
A/Dh – MZN
