Zarif and Assad blame U.S. sanctions for coronavirus devastation, U.S. Amb. Jeffery: U.S. is largest single donor of humanitarian aid to Syria, Iran has brought only bombs and suffering

DARAMSUQ (DAMASCUS) – Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Daramsuq (Damascus) on Monday. The most important regional issues and the repercussions of the global coronavirus pandemic were discussed during the meeting.

Both Zarif and al-Assad stated at the conclusion of the meeting that they believe western countries are using the coronavirus pandemic for political purposes.

Several media sources reported they also discussed the pressures put on the Syrian Government over the recent Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) report stating that the available evidence points to the use of banned chemical weapons by the Syrian regime on several occasions, as well as ways to a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

Zarif stated that the U.S. government had demonstrated its inhumanity by refusing to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria and Iran at a time when the novel coronavirus COVID-19 virus is sweeping the world.

However, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that the U.S. might consider easing the sanctions imposed on Syria, Iran, and other countries to help fight the epidemic by obtaining conditional medical assistance.

U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey commented on the meeting between Zarif and al-Assad via a statement posted on the official Twitter account of the U.S. Embassy in Damascus.

If Iran were truly concerned about the health & safety of the Syrian ppl, it would support the UN-led political process under UNSCR2254 and withdraw IRGC, Hizballah, & other terrorist forces under its command from the entirety of #Syria.

Iran’s only contributions to #Syria have been violence & instability. The Assad regime & its allies must accept the will of the Syrian ppl, who demand & deserve to live in peace & free from bombings, chlorine attacks, barrel bombs, arbitrary detention, and starvation.

The United States is the largest single donor of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, providing more than $10.6 billion in aid throughout #Syria and the region since the start of the crisis.

We continue to offer humanitarian assistance to help address the coronavirus outbreak, while the Assad regime, Russia, and Iran obstruct aid and starve the Syrian people of food and medicine. #Syria