Iran, Russia, Syria Seek Increased Defense Cooperation

The Iranian defense minister in separate phone calls with his Russian and Syrian counterparts exchanged views about the recent US airstrikes against a Syrian airbase, with the trio stressing the importance of boosting cooperation for a strong campaign against terrorists.

"This [US] move is in contravention of all the principles of international law and was a blatant act of aggression against an independent country to revive and raise the crippled spirits of terrorists in Syria," Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan said in a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, on Tuesday, Press TV reported.

He noted that the missile attack was an attempt to restore the poor image of US President Donald Trump on the country's political scene and distract public opinion away from domestic problems.

He warned that the US is implementing "suspicious and dangerous" plans to make up for the terrorists' losses in the Middle East, create a consensus against the Syrian government and justify their military presence in the region.

"Despite their claims, the US rulers are not fighting terrorism but are taking steps to boost the morale of terrorists and their sponsors and bombing the Syrian armed forces and nation instead of terrorists," Dehqan said.

Terrorists must understand that they cannot continue with their criminal conduct and Washington should know that its actions would not remain "unanswered", he stressed.

"The resistance front will firmly and resolutely continue with its anti-terror measures in spite of the US wishes," he said.

The Russian defense minister urged the immediate reinforcement of the Syrian Army and popular forces.

Shoigu expressed Moscow's determination to make use of its political and military capacities and further inflict crushing blows on terrorists and their sponsors.

US warships deployed to the eastern Mediterranean launched a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles against an airfield southeast of the western Syrian city of Homs on Friday.

Without providing any evidence, Washington contended that the attack came in response to an alleged chemical attack by the Syrian government.

At least 86 people were killed in the gas attack in Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib Province.

Syria has categorically denied carrying out the gas attack, with the foreign minister stressing that an Idlib airstrike had targeted a depot, where terrorists stored chemical weapons.

The defense ministers of Iran and Syria urged the establishment of a fact-finding committee at the earliest to investigate the US lies about an alleged Syrian government role in the chemical attack.

"Such measures will have no impact on the determination and will of the resistance front in the battle against terrorists," Dehqan said in a telephone conversation with Syrian Defense Minister Fahd Jassem al-Freij.

The two defense chiefs discussed ways of boosting cooperation for intensifying military operations against terrorists.