MP: US Put Syria Strike on Hold for Fear of Losses
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian parliament member described the White House's about-face regarding Syria as a way to avert another military and historic loss for Washington as the US President Barack Obama decided to put military action against Syria on hold.
Javad Karimi Qoddousi said that possible reactions from the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement and the Damascus government were a reason that led the US to delay military action against Syria.
“The Americans knew that if they attacked Syria, their warships and destroyers deployed in the Mediterranean Sea would be struck by resistance missiles.”
But the lawmaker described the possible reaction from Tehran as the main reason behind Washington’s decision to put off the idea of military intervention in Syria.
“When our military commanders introduced Syria as the red line and Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei sensibly elaborated on the Syrian developments, the Americans realized that Iran - as the regional superpower - can hamstring the US in the Middle East,” he said.
Karimi Qoddousi, who is a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iran's Parliament, added that no power can ignore the Islamic Republic of Iran’s red lines.
The US has been pressing for military action on Syria since a suspected chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21 which it blames on the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The government of Syria has denied involvement and said the rebels were responsible.
Russia, which has blocked US and British efforts to get a United Nations resolution to take action against Syria, appeared to open a path toward a solution Monday when it suggested a plan for Damascus to hand over its chemical weapons.
And US President Barack Obama said he would put off plans for a military strike against Syria if the country agrees to place its chemical weapons stockpile under international control.
