UN says Iran arms to Syria violate UN sanctions

Syrian people suffering grievously from the appalling further militarization of this conflict, political chief tells Security Council

Members of the United Nations Security Council (photo credit: AP/Craig Ruttle)
Members of the United Nations Security Council (photo credit: AP/Craig Ruttle)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. political chief says Iran’s delivery of weapons to the Syrian government is an apparent violation of U.N. sanctions banning arms exports by Tehran.

Jeffrey Feltman raised the issue in Wednesday’s monthly Mideast briefing to the U.N. Security Council.

Iran is a strong supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad and has reportedly been supplying the government with weapons.

Feltman said the Syrian government and opposition are focusing on the use of force, with the government using heavy weapons on populated areas and the Syrian people “suffering grievously from the appalling further militarization of this conflict.”

He said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has repeatedly expressed concern about the arms flows to both sides, which in the case of Iran appear to violate a 2007 Council resolution banning arms exports.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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