Iran condemns alleged Israeli airstrike on Syria
TEHRAN, May 5- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned the "Israeli military aggression against Syria," with a senior Iranian army commander saying that the Islamic republic is ready to train the Syrian army, Press TV reported.Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast slammed the alleged Israeli aggression, saying Israel attempts to create insecurity and instability in the region.
Earlier in the day, the Syrian state TV said Israel launched an airstrike on a military research center in a suburb of the Syrian capital before dawn.
Explosions rocked the northwestern Jamraya suburb, the TV said, adding that casualties were feared.
Mehmanparast called for unity among regional countries and their solidarity against Israeli threats.
Meanwhile, Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces, Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan, said Iran is ready to train the Syrian army should Damascus require assistance.
Pourdastan said the Syrian army has gained experience during years of conflict with the "occupying regime of Israel," and has the ability to defend itself with no need for foreign assistance.
However, "as a Muslim and friendly country, we stand by Syria and if there is a need for training (the Syrian army), we will provide them with necessary training," the Iranian commander said.
Iran will not have any "active involvement in their (the Syrians) operations," against the conflicts that they are engaged in, Pourdastan emphasized.
Following the alleged Israeli aggression, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced Sunday that its minister, Ali-Akbar Salehi, will pay an official visit to Jordan to hold talks with the country's officials about the crisis in Syria, Press TV reported.
Quoting the ministry's spokesman, the report said that " Considering the importance of continuing consultations and making use of regional capacities to resolve the ongoing crisis in Syria through a political approach and national Syrian-Syrian talks, our foreign minister will soon head for the Jordanian capital as the head of a delegation."
During his two-day visit to Amman, Salehi will pursue a new round of joint and constructive efforts by influential regional countries to settle the Syrian unrest given the prominent roles of Iran and Jordan in the region, Mehmanparast said, without elaborating on the time of Salehi's departure.
Also, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said Sunday that "the Zionist regime (of Israel)'s attack on Syria, which was done with the green light from the United States, unveiled the connection of mercenary terrorists and the Zionist regime supporters," semi-official Meher news agency reported.
Vahidi said such actions of Israel could threaten the entire security of the Middle East.
"These cowardly actions are not showing the authority of the ( Israeli) regime, but (it demonstrates) the regime's desperation, confusion and frustration in reactions to region's developments," Vahidi was quoted as saying. Enditem
