Member of the Syrian Coalition’s political committee Abdul Ahad Steifo called on the European Union to engage more actively in Syria, especially in the political and military tracks within the framework of the recently adopted truce agreement. Steifo stressed the need to end the US and Russia’s monopoly of the decision-making with regard to Syria.
Steifo was speaking at a panel discussion on Iran and its policies at home and abroad last Wednesday at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels. The panel was organized by the Friends of Free Iran group in the European Parliament, which includes more than 200 deputies from the European Parliament.
“Europe should take the initiative in the ongoing Syrian political process as it faces two big challenges; the refugee crisis and the terrorist threat,” Steifo said. He called on the European Parliament to support the establishment of safe zones in Syria.
Steifo expressed surprise over the international community’s absolute silence over the tens of thousands of terrorist elements recruited by Iran to fight alongside Assad’s forces. “The Iranian-backed militias, together with ISIS, are responsible for hundreds of massacres against the Syrian people.”
Steifo also called on the European Parliament to submit a draft UN resolution to add the Iranian-backed and Hezbollah militias to the list of terrorist groups. He also called for referring the crimes committed by these militias to the International Criminal Court and to hold the Iranian and Assad regimes to account.
The decades-long relationship between the Iranian regime and the Assad regime, Steifo added, has reached its climax with direct Iranian military invasion of Syria. “Iran’s invasion of Syria is clearly part of its expansionist policies in the region.”
Steifo concluded his remarks by stressing that the Syrian revolution broke out against tyranny and corruption and to reclaim freedom and dignity. “The revolution has now turned into resistance and national liberation movement against the foreign invaders, led by Iran and Russia.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
