Iran is seeking to solidify its access to the Mediterranean Sea by building a permanent seaport and constructing numerous military installations throughout Syria, a bipartisan pair of lawmakers warned the Trump administration.
U.S. Representatives Peter J. Roskam (R-IL) and Ted Deutch (D-FL) on Thursday sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis urging them to take all necessary action to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent military presence in Syria.
“A permanent Iranian military presence in Syria would greatly harm U.S. interests in the region and decrease the likelihood of reaching a political agreement to end the Syrian civil war,” the letter warned.
Reps. Roskam and Deutch emphasized the need for measures to disrupt the shipment of personnel and military supplies to Syria via commercial aircraft by holding accountable Iranian airliners found to be providing support to the Assad regime or terrorist organizations.
President of the Syrian Coalition Riad Seif on Thursday sent a letter to 30 countries friendly and sisterly countries as well as international organizations, particularly the United Nations, explaining the disastrous consequences of Iranian interference in Syria.
Seif emphasized that “no political solution in Syria can be reached as long as the Iranian intervention continues.” He stressed that “Syria and the region will see no peace or stability so long as the Iranian militias are operating in Syria unchecked.” (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Al-Arabiya)
