Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa made statements that shed light on the Iranian file and the regional crisis, while outlining Damascus’ strategy in dealing with current developments.
Al-Sharaa stated, during an interview at the Chatham House Institute in London, as reported by the official Syrian news agency, that Syria supports peaceful solutions to conflicts, especially between Iran and the United States, stressing that Damascus will remain far from any conflict unless it is subjected to a direct attack, and will focus its efforts on reconstruction, strengthening the economy and providing appropriate conditions for the return of refugees, taking advantage of its strategic location and its regional and international relations.
He explained: “If Syria is not directly targeted by any party, it will remain outside the conflict, as 14 years of war during which it paid a very large bill are enough, and therefore Damascus is not ready to go through a new experience,” adding that those who have experienced war know the value of peace, and that the Syrian people today are in dire need of building strong foundations that support the economy, with a focus on construction, reconstruction, and receiving forcibly displaced refugees.
He pointed out that the goal is to transform Syria into a vital economic center by exploiting its geographical and geopolitical location, which enables it to play an influential role in the region.
Regarding Iran, Al-Sharaa mentioned that its intervention in Syria over the past forty years contributed to supporting the previous regime, and the resulting displacement of Syrians, noting that there are more than 10 million Syrians outside the country, and the killing of more than a million people during the past 14 years, in addition to about 250,000 missing people. He considered that Iran, through its support of pro-regime groups, was at the forefront of the conflict launched by the regime against the Syrian people.
He added that after arriving in Damascus, there was no disagreement with Iran as a state, but rather with its actions on Syrian lands, which were embodied in the occupation of Syrian villages and towns and the assault and displacement of the Syrian people, stressing that the new leadership adopted from the beginning a policy based on maintaining security stability and promoting economic growth, which requires some calm in relations with various countries, even those that were in dispute with Syria or represented a threat to it, noting the delay in establishing relations with Iran until now.
He concluded his speech by saying that no one desires war unless exposed to clear and frank aggression, and after all diplomatic means have been exhausted.
