Aleppo truce must not strengthen terror groups: Iran envoy

A senior Iranian diplomat says Tehran supports a recent ceasefire deal in Syria brokered by Russia and the US, but warns against attempts by terror groups to exploit the truce and bolster their foothold in the Arab country.

Iran’s Ambassador to Damascus, Mohammad-Reza Raouf Sheibani, made the remarks in a commentary carried by IRNA news agency on Sunday.

Iran, as an influential player in efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, “supports the ceasefire and any such measures that lead to a halt in the bloodshed in Syria,” said Raouf Sheibani, stressing that the Islamic Republic has always been seeking a political solution to the conflict.

The diplomat, however, warned that the military bodies involved in anti-terror operations in Syria as well as the countries that have brokered the truce should be careful that the ceasefire will not change the balance of power in favor of terror groups.

The Iranian diplomat further noted that the ceasefire deal should be “cautiously” accepted, while those responsible for overseeing its implementation must guarantee that opposition and terrorists groups will not exploit the truce.

EA