US airstrikes will not eradicate terrorism in region: Iran Majlis speaker

Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani says the US military air campaign against ISIL Takfiri terrorists in the region are futile as airstrikes cannot eradicate terrorism that has taken refuge in homes.

“The hullabaloo caused now by the West over fighting the ISIL group is wrong as airstrikes cannot eradicate terrorism hidden in houses,” Larijani said on Wednesday, Fars News Agency reported.

If the Western countries had been sincere in their fight against terrorism, they would not have supported the Takfiri militants in the first place, said the top parliamentarian.

Larijani further underscored the transparency of the positions of the Islamic Republic against the ISIL group, saying, “We speak frankly, while some countries say one thing in public but help ISIL secretly.”

The ISIL is in control of some areas in Syria and has captured large swathes of land in neighboring Iraq, where Washington is currently carrying out airstrikes on their positions. The US is also reportedly considering similar strikes against the militants in Syria.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid Muallem also warned the United States on Monday against carrying out air attacks on the Takfiri ISIL terrorists inside Syria without Damascus’ consent.
He said at a news conference in the Syrian capital Damascus that any such attack without the approval of the Syrian government would be considered as a violation of his country’s sovereignty and an act of aggression.