Iran says US strike in Syria "dangerous, destructive"

Iran denounced as “destructive and dangerous” US missile strikes against a Syrian airbase from which a suspected chemical weapons attack was launched, Iran’s state news agency IRNA quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying on Friday.

“Iran … condemns use of chemical weapons … but at the same time believes it is dangerous, destructive and a violation of international laws to use it as an excuse to take unilateral actions,” IRNA quoted Bahram Qasemi as saying.

Iran strongly condemns any such unilateral strikes… Such measures will strengthen terrorists in Syria … and will complicate the situation in Syria and the region.

An Iranian diplomat at the Iranian embassy in Damascus said families of Iranian diplomats in Syria had not been transferred to another country following the US strike, the ENTEKHAB news website reported.

Tehran is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s main regional ally and has provided military and economic support for his fight against rebel groups and Islamic State militants.

Iran says it has military advisers and volunteers in Syria but denies having a conventional force on the ground.