Tehran and Moscow have dismissed accusations that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons as a fabricated and pre-planned scenario.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Bugdanov rejected the allegation in a phone conversation on Tuesday.

On August 21, militants operating inside Syria and the foreign-backed Syrian opposition claimed that hundreds had been killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in the Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar. However, the Syrian government categorically rejected the baseless claims, and announced later that the chemical attack had actually been carried out by the militants themselves as a false flag operation.

Amir-Abdollahian and Bugdanov further denounced the use of chemical weapons by the terrorists and Takfiri militants in Syria.

The two officials warned against the consequences of any foreign military action in the region, stressing that the crisis in the Arab country can only be settled through political channels.

Since Tuesday, speculations have become stronger about the possibility of a military attack on Syria. Media outlets have been reporting US plans for likely surgical attacks, which would be in the form of “cruise-missile strikes,” and “could rely on four US destroyers in the Mediterranean [Sea].” The plan, however, seems to be awaiting US President Barack Obama’s go-ahead.

Iran, Russia and China, among other countries, have warned against foreign military intervention in Syria, which has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011.

A very large number of the militants operating inside Syria are reportedly foreign nationals.

 

News ID 185154