Iran News Round Up - April 8, 2017

Interim Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani stated that the U.S. launched the airstrikes in order to conceal its “support for the terrorists.” Emami Kashani reiterated the regime’s statement that the U.S. helped create terrorist groups in the region. He also stated that the allegation that the Assad regime was responsible for the chemical weapons attack is a “lie.” (Fars News Agency) (E) (IRNA)  

Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the international affairs advisor to Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, stated that the U.S. airstrikes prove “that the fight” against ISIS is “still” not America’s “priority.” Larijani called the airstrikes “hasty,”  contrary to international law, and “to the detriment of regional and global security.” He stressed that the U.S. is ignoring international endeavors to resolve the Syrian crisis politically. (Tasnim News Agency) (E)

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghassemi stated that “Iran condemns any use of chemical weapons, regardless of the perpetrators and the victims.” Ghassemi indicated that the U.S. used the “suspicious chemical attack” as an “excuse” to launch the airstrikes. Ghassemi stressed that America’s “use of a chemical attack in Syria” as “pretext for unilateral action is dangerous, destructive,” and in “violation of peremptory principles of international laws.” Ghassemi stated America’s actions will “reinforce declining terrorists and add to the complexity of the situation in Syria.” (Fars News Agency) (E) (Fars News Agency)

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that just as the U.S. resorted “to military force” in its invasion of Iraq in 2003 “over bogus [chemical weapons] allegations,” so it is resorting to military force “over bogus [chemical weapons] allegations” in its airstrikes in Syria. Zarif claimed that “Not even two decades” after the September 11 attacks, the U.S. military is “fighting on the same side” as al Qaeda and ISIS in Yemen and Syria. (ISNA) (IRNA)

Head of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi called the U.S. airstrikes on Syria a “conspiracy” because “everyone in the world knows that the Syrian government… has handed over all its chemical weapons.” Boroujerdi said that the airstrikes demonstrate the “defeat” of U.S. policies in the Middle East. Boroujerdi stressed that the airstrikes’ “consequences will not be good for America.” Boroujerdi said that Trump’s decision to launch the airstrikes is contrary to his promises during his campaign and thus “shows Trump’s decline.” Boroujerdi stated that Iran’s response to the airstrikes will occur “according to [Iran’s] cooperation with Russia, Iraq, and Syria.” Boroujerdi stated, “Undoubtedly, America’s ill-advised action will be followed by serious consequences, because Russia and Iran will not sit quietly in the face of acts which are contrary to the region’s interests.” Boroujerdi also noted that a country usually chooses to use chemical weapons when its armies are failing in war, and stated that “the Syrian army is in its best position right now. Aleppo has been liberated and other areas are also being liberated.” Social media outlets reported that Boroujerdi praised Russia’s decision to suspend its airspace deconfliction mechanism with the U.S. (IRNA) (Shafaqna) (Asr Iran)