The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council warned that wrong policies adopted by the countries that formed the US-led coalition against the so-called Islamic State militant group have increased violence in the region.
Ali Shamkhani made the remark in an interview with IRNA on Monday, in which he expressed his views about the latest developments in the Middle East, commenting that the anti-IS coalition falsely claims it is fighting the terrorists.
He said the coalition's campaign should avoid measures that are meant "for a show," adding that the equipment and arms provided by the coalition to the so-called moderate armed groups have actually set the stage for increased terrorist activities.
"Even in the most optimistic view, the destructive role of backing terrorist groups by labeling them opponents of the Syrian government in giving rise to unbridled terrorism in the region cannot be denied," he noted.
Rejecting the idea of good versus bad terrorism, the former navy commander said adopting such an approach indicates the fact that terrorism is being used as a political instrument, which contradicts the principles of international security and is an obvious violation of international law.
Not a Lasting Strategy
Shamkhani said the US and its allies cannot resort to provoking chaos as a replacement for genuine struggle against terrorism forever.
He expressed regret over the fact that the "show" organized by those who claim to be fighting terrorism has led to the continuation of brutal attacks by IS terrorists and the killing and injuring of many people in Kuwait, Tunisia and France.
The senior official said by its recent terrorist attacks, IS has sent a clear message to the world that it plans to conduct operations in any possible spot in the world.
Noting that the public, intellectuals and policymakers all over the world need to come to the conclusion that IS poses a threat to all countries, he urged the international community to demonstrate firm resolve and avoids propaganda in combating the origins of terrorist movements and the factors that boost it.
Even member countries of the coalition against IS have now criticized it for not taking any serious measures, said Shamkhani, adding that authorities in Syria and Iraq have also repeatedly announced that they have not observed the coalition taking any effective and defendable measure against the terrorists.
Shamkhani called for measures to block the terrorists' access to financial resources, their oil exports, systems they use to transfer money, the movement of their members and the supply of arms to them.
He also said in addition to military action, it is necessary to adopt appropriate political and cultural approaches to counter the security challenge targeting the roots of the issue.
The US-led coalition against IS includes 62 member countries. Twenty of the partners are said to be providing air support or military equipment, while the others are providing logistical support, according to a Guardian report.
