Former president of the Syrian Coalition Khaled Khoja said that the United States’ opposition to the establishment of safe zones inside Syria has allowed Iran and Russia to increase their influence in Syria and the entire region.
Khoja also said that the US administration’s negative positions on the Syrian conflict had given the impression that it turned its back on the Middle East. He pointed out that Russia’s influence in the region began to increase in 2013 when Moscow struck a deal with Western countries about the removal of Assad’s chemical weapons.
Khoja reiterated the opposition’s commitment to a political solution, adding that the Assad regime seeks to thwart political transition. He stressed that it is illogical to talk about a political solution in Syria under the current circumstances, adding that international community has to force Assad to sit at the negotiating table through diplomatic pressure or failing that by force. (Source: Anadolu Agency)
