News - Middle East: A senior Iranian diplomat says the ongoing crisis in Syria can only be settled through political negotiations.

During a virtual meeting on Monday, Ali Asghar Khaji, a senior aide on political affairs to Iran's foreign minister, and United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen discussed the latest developments in the Arab country.
Khaji said the Syrian people are suffering from difficult economic conditions and stressed the need for swift removal of unjust sanctions imposed by the US and its Western allies on Damascus.
He also urged an end to the looting of Syria’s natural resources by foreign forces present in the country and called for international humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged people.
Khaji also stressed the importance of continuing the battle against terrorism and expressed hope that the UN, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and those countries willing to help solve the Syrian crisis would facilitate the return of refugees by providing humanitarian assistance to the country.
The senior Iranian diplomat and the UN envoy also stressed the need to settle the political and humanitarian issues in Syria.
They emphasized that economic problems should be resolved in Syria and grounds should be prepared for the return of refugees to their homeland.
Since 2014, the US has deployed forces and military equipment in Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a United Nations mandate under the pretext of fighting Daesh. The Takfiri terrorist group had emerged as Washington was running out of excuses to extend its regional meddling or enlarge it in scale.