Outside pressure not change Syrian regime – UK diplomat
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The British Special Envoy for Syria, Jonathan Hargreaves, said that Israeli airstrikes against Iranian military posts is the only thing that may work in Syria.
Axios reported, citing Hargreaves, “The UK and other Western countries are basing some of their policies on its results.”
Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes inside Syria over the past few years targeting what it says Iranian-backed militia’s strongholds, killing civilians and Syrian government soldiers.
It rarely acknowledges or comments on carrying out airstrikes inside Syria but it always repeats it will confront Iran’s attempts to establish permanent military presence inside Syria.
The UK envoy doubted the “step by step” approach carried out by UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, regarding solving Syrian crisis.
“Providing a forum for the opposition to have political dialogue with the regime is one of the key reasons why the political process is still important,” the report added, citing the UK envoy.
The UK envoy tried to avoid Arab countries from normalizing relations with the Syrian government, Hargreaves added.
Jordan’s engagement with the Syrian government lead to friction with the US, he stressed.
During the meeting with the Israeli officials, Hargreaves stressed that the outside pressure that is pursued by the US to bring down Syrian regime will not work, Anti War reported.
“Smuggling of Captagon drugs from Syria has become the most pressing security threat for Jordan and proposed British-Israeli cooperation to disrupt this drug smuggling activity that finances the Assad regime,” the UK envoy added.
On June 10, Israel targeted Damascus International Airport with heavy airstrikes, claiming to hinder weapons’ transfer from Iran to Lebanon through Syria on Iranian cargo airlines.