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| Syria has necessary military equipment to defend itself: Iran |
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.jpg) TEHRAN – The Iranian defense minister has said that Syria has the required military equipment to defend itself against a possible military action by the United States over the alleged use of chemical weapons by government forces in a recent attack on rebels fighting against the Syrian government.
“The Syrian Army and people have the necessary equipment to defend themselves,” Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday when asked whether the Iranian Defense Ministry will supply Syria with pieces of military hardware if the United States launches strikes on the Arab country.
He also said the possible military intervention in Syria would have unpleasant consequences for the region, adding that it would also harm the U.S. interests and might spread to the whole region.
“A U.S. attack against Syria can only aggravate the crisis in the region,” he said.
U.S. President Barack Obama won the backing of key figures in the U.S. Congress, including Republicans, in his call for limited U.S. strikes on Syria, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, leaders of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee have said they have reached an agreement on a draft authorization for the use of military force in Syria. However, the draft is much narrower than the request made by Obama and includes a provision barring the use of U.S. troops on the ground.
Obama said on Tuesday the United States also had a broader plan to help rebels defeat Syrian government forces.
“What we are envisioning is something limited. It is something proportional. It will degrade Assad’s capabilities,” Obama said. “At the same time we have a broader strategy that will allow us to upgrade the capabilities of the opposition.”
AM/PA
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