We have no relations with Iran. If we are targeted, we will respond

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa confirmed that his country does not have official relations with Iran, and if “we are targeted, we will be forced to respond.” Al-Sharaa warned, during his participation in a dialogue session at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in the British capital, London, on Tuesday, “of random policies dominating the scene and their negative impact on the region and the Gulf states. There are historical circumstances that the region is exposed to, but from the first moment we have tried to distance Syria from the ongoing tensions. We are trying to measure matters in an accurate way so that we are not targeted and forced to respond to the targeting.”

Al-Sharaa stressed that “Israel dealt with Syria negatively and we tried through dialogue and discussion to reach good points, but in the last moments everything changed.” In response to a question about his relationship with Al-Qaeda, “I did not agree with Al-Qaeda’s policies and I did not support their convictions, so I did not continue with them.”

Regarding his vision for his country’s future, Al-Sharaa said, “We adopt a different approach in Syria to avoid repeating the mistakes of previous experiences. Syria has unity with Gaza and has suffered as the people of Gaza have suffered, and we have set standards to hold perpetrators of crimes accountable in Syria over a period of 14 years.”

Al-Sharaa stressed that “one of the priorities of Syrian policy is transitional justice, which requires institutional building and a clear legal reference for all people so that everyone who committed crimes is held accountable. Syria was isolated from the world in the recent period and we took many means to bring it out of isolation, and the return of Syrian refugees is linked to the reconstruction of Syria.”

He continued, “We are part of those who were subjected to the crimes of the former regime.”

He added, “With regard to internal affairs in Syria, we conducted a national dialogue that resulted in recommendations, as well as the Constitutional Declaration, and we held elections for the People’s Assembly, whose first session will begin next month, and at the end of the transitional period, we will have paved the way for free elections in Syria and about controlling the situation in Syria.”

Al-Sharaa stressed, “Since our arrival in Damascus, weapons have been restricted to the state and the rule of law has been imposed. It is not appropriate for Syria to have factions and armed groups, and the Syrian people need to establish the foundations of stability and the return of refugees to Syria.”

He pointed out that “Russia’s bases in Syria will be transformed into centers for training the Syrian army.”

Regarding his visit to Europe, Al-Sharaa said, “Britain contributed to supporting Syria and lifting sanctions on the Syrian people, and today we held fruitful meetings that will further strengthen relations.”

Regarding Syrian-Russian relations, he said, “There are historical relations between Russia and Syria, and for you to be in the White House and on another day to be in the Kremlin is evidence of the activity of Syrian diplomacy.”

The Syrian President arrived in the United Kingdom yesterday as part of his visit to Britain as part of his campaign tour to Germany, which is his first visit to Germany and Britain.