Iran Criticizes West's Paradoxical Approach Towards Terrorism

Paris, Jan 19, IRNA – Iranian Ambassador to France criticized on Thursday, the West's paradoxical approach towards terrorism around the world, including Syria and Mali. He made the remarks in an interview with France 24 TV Channel. 'West should not support terrorists in Middle Eastern county of Syria while it is fighting them in African county of Mali; terrorist operations should be condemned everywhere.' Noting that Tehran is a victim of terrorism, Ahani underlined that al-Qaeda network which has a high record of terrorist operations around the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, should be taken serious by the international community. 'Tehran supports legitimate government of Syria which is supported by majority of Syrian people, including Alawites, Kurds, Christians and other ethics; Syrian crisis is the result of outside interference and involvement of thousands of foreign mercenaries who are fighting against the government.' France intervened in Mali last Friday and has caused heavy losses in the extremists' ranks. Several Malian soldiers and many French citizens have died in Mali since France's Friday intervention. More than 100 militants are reported to have been killed. Rebel groups and secular Tuareg rebels took advantage of chaos following a military coup to seize Northern Mali in April 2012. The rebels, however, soon took control of the region's major towns, sidelining the Tuaregs. The UN says some 144,500 Malian refugees have been registered in the neighboring countries since April 2012. It also says that 30,000 people have been displaced as a direct result of conflict this month. In the meantime, Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country. The US and its western and regional allies have long sought to topple President Bashar al-Assad and his ruling system. Media reports said that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States. The US daily, Washington Post, reported in May that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups battling the President Assad's government have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by some Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States./end