28 Mar 2024
Sputnik News- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Thursday that any attempts to re-escaalate the situation in the war-ridden country by Western powers will be prevented by Syria, Russia and Iran.

Any attempts toviolate the de-escalation agreement inSyria will be countered bythe Syrian army, Russian forces and Iran, withsupport ofHezbollah, Syrian President Bashar Assad said inan interview withBELARUS ONT channel onThursday.

"Any escalation will fail, because the Syrian and Russian forces, withthe Iranian support, and withsupport fromHezbollah, will strike any move onthe part ofthe terrorists if they attempt toviolate this agreement," Assad said inthe interview, translated and quoted bystate SANA news agency.

He also pointed outthat the four de-escalation zones inSyria are aimed not only atprotecting the civilians butat giving the militants a chance tosurrender arms inreturn foramnesty.

"The objective is inthe first place toprotect the civilians inthese areas. The second objective is togive the interested rebels an opportunity toreconcile themselves withthe state, likewhat happened inother areas," Assad said.

Russia and Turkey are the guarantors ofa nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime that came intoforce onDecember 30, 2016, and has been holding upin general, despitecontinued reports ofviolations. The UN Security Council passed a resolution inDecember 2016 supporting the effort.

Earlier inMay, Russia, Turkey and Iran signed the memorandum onestablishment ofsafe zones inthe country aspart ofthe Astana talks onSyrian settlement. The four zones include the northwestern Idlib province and parts ofthe neighboring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo, the north ofthe central Homs province, Eastern Ghouta nearDamascus, aswell assouthern Daraa and Quneitra regions.
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