FM Hails Vetoing Anti-Syria Sanctions By China, Russia

Tehran, Feb 6, IRNA – Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that China and Russia acted appropriately by vetoing a draft resolution prepared by Western countries at the UNSC with the purpose of imposing sanctions against the Syrian government. Salehi made the remarks to reporters at the end of a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Sunday. “The UN Security Council (UNSC) was going to determine the leadership of Syria by issuing a resolution to impose sanctions on the Arab country. This is while it contradicts the scope of duties of the council to interfere in the internal affairs of countries,” he added. Salehi noted that the UNSC has turned into a tool for bullying of the Western countries against other countries, but this time China and Russia stood against them. “Western countries proposed the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and handing over the power to the vice president, but the question is that nowhere in international law such laws have been included to allow interfering in internal affairs of other countries,” Salehi said. He pointed out that Russia has also submitted a draft resolution to the UNSC to resolve Syria’s crisis. Referring to the vetoing of the proposed anti-Syria draft resolution by China and Russia, Salehi noted that such move by China and Russia gave the message to the West to avoid making the UN Security Council as tool for achieving their own goals. “The US has vetoed more than 60 approvals concerning the proposals against the Zionist regime which indicates that the US is supporting the interests of certain countries,” Salehi added. He pointed out that Russia and China's move was aimed at confronting hegemonic powers, including the UNSC./end