In the wake of the Syrian government’s alleged chemical attack on its own people, it’s worth asking whether Tehran has any “red lines” when it comes to its unconditional support of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Few countries have suffered the horrors of chemical weapons like Iran in the 1980s. Iraqi forces used mustard and sarin gas on tens of thousands of Iranian soldiers during the Iran-Iraq conflict. Thousands of Iranian war veterans struggle each day with the debilitating neurological and respiratory problems caused by these weapons.
After the alleged early morning chemical weapons attack that reportedly killed hundreds of Syrians, including sleeping children, Iranian officials quickly reminded the world that they too had suffered from chemical weapons. They highlighted the “double standard” used by the United States and its allies who drew “red lines” when it came to Syria, yet looked the other way – and even assisted Saddam Hussein – when he carried out chemical attacks against the Iranian army.
The United States, United Kingdom, Turkey and their allies have accused the Syrian government of being responsible for last week’s chemical attack. Without presenting any evidence, some Iranian officials have suggested that the Syrian armed opposition was behind them.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani seemed to strike a slightly different note by “strongly condemn[ing the] use of chemical weapons in Syria,” but warned that no one should “jump to conclusions” before the facts are clear.
While Rouhani and the rest of us wait for the UN chemical weapon inspection team to release its findings, here are some abundantly clear facts to consider:
More than 100,000 Syrians have died during the two-and-a-half-year conflict. Large numbers of civilians have been killed not by chemical weapons, but by bombs and bullets – many of which are provided by Tehran and Moscow and used by the Syrian government or pro-government forces. Reports indicate that Iran supplies Syria with missiles, rockets, small arms, and mortar shells via air, ground and sea. Not to mention the high-level military advisory and substantial financial assistance Tehran provides Damascus.
It is well past time for Iran’s leaders to face the facts and stop providing military assistance to a brutal government for which “red lines” clearly mean nothing. Anything less is hypocrisy at best, if not criminal complicity.
