Iran Decries EU Blacklisting of Syrian Foreign Minister
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson denounced the European Union’s “unwise decision” to blacklist Foreign Minister of Syria Faisal Mekdad.
In a statement released on Saturday, Saeed Khatibzadeh said the EU's move to sanction the Syrian foreign minister will escalate the crisis in the Arab country and further complicate the political settlement of this crisis.
"Such an unpleasant measure will only result in further divergence and distrust between Brussels and Damascus. At a time when the Syrian crisis needs a political solution, blacklisting the country's foreign minister as the person in charge of Syria's foreign policy means nothing but sabotaging the peace process," he added.
The spokesman also called on the EU to reconsider its decision, especially at a time when it was expected to condemn the Zionist regime's attacks and aggression against the Syrian territory in violation of the country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and express its serious opposition to the US' unjust sanctions against the Syrian nation.
Khatibzadeh finally slammed the EU’s move as an unwise decision.
The EU on Friday added Mekdad to its sanctions blacklist targeting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
The move takes the number of officials and allies of the Syrian leader under EU asset freezes and travel bans to 289, with 70 entities also facing punitive measures.
Mekdad replaced Walid Muallem after the veteran top diplomat died in November 2020.
