US strikes on Syrian civilians ‘genocide

he chairman of the Supreme Security Council of Iran, Ali Shamkhani, made the remarks in a meeting with Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis on Sunday in Tehran, in reference to a recent report by deputy head of the Syrian Red Crescent on high civilian death toll in Raqqah in the wake of a US-led coalition airstrike on a hospital using phosphorous bombs.

Shamkhani voiced regret over the approach and policies of certain Western countries including US in spreading terrorism and escalating insecurity in the region instead of carrying out an honest fight against terrorist groups, adding "if the opposing sides stopped their financial, technical and arms support to terrorists, the region would return to a peaceful state in a short span of time, which would consequently return European countries to the same tranquil state.”

Shamkhani stressed that the US aerial assaults amounted to genocide as American warplanes used banned weapons and ammunition in their attacks, adding that the US air raids were also a blatant example of human rights violation.

The Iranian security chief further highlighted the Islamic Republic’s continued support to Syria and until the crisis was over in the Middle Eastern state.

The Syrian prime minister, for his part, thanked Iran’s extensive support to Syrian people and government, saying the only to way to achieve a sustainable solution and establishment of peace and security was through a change of approach in certain countries’ policies which currently sponsor terrorism instead of seriously combating it.

Imad Khamis also held a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday, during which the Syrian prime minister slammed US, Israel and Saudi Arabia for the disruption of peace in the Middle East.

Khamis also maintained that Syria’s political and military situation is improving day by day, calling on Iran to support Syria’s plans for improving the country’s economy and rebuilding infrastructures.