Iran Urges UN to Step up Humanitarian Assistance to Syria

By Staff, Agencies

Iran’s representative at a new round of the Astana peace process meetings in Kazakhstan called on the United Nations to pay more attention to the humanitarian aspects of the crisis in Syria.

Senior advisor to Iranian foreign minister for special political affairs Ali Asghar Khaji held a meeting with the UN delegation on the sidelines of the 18th Astana platform conference in Kazakhstan’s capital Nur Sultan on Thursday.

The two sides discussed the latest developments concerning the political settlement of the Syrian crisis as well as the Syrian constitutional committee and the humanitarian aspects of the crisis.

Khaji called on the international community as well as the UN and its specialized institutions to pay more attention to the humanitarian aspects of the Syria crisis.

The Iranian diplomat also demanded an increase in the aid for the Syrian people without any political preconditions or discrimination.

He then slammed the US’ discriminatory behavior regarding sanctions and called for the immediate removal of all bans on Syria.

Khaji finally welcomed a general amnesty declared by the Syrian president and described it as a positive step toward confidence-building and as a sign of the Syrian government’s positive approach towards the peaceful settlement of the disputes.

The representatives of Iran, Russia and Turkey –the three guarantors of the Astana Process on Syria- expressed their commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter at the 18th International Meeting on Syria in the Kazakh capital on July 16.