Iraq shouldn't allow Iran to use its airspace to provide aid to the Syrian government, US Secretary of State, John Kerry, warned during his unannounced visit to Baghdad.
"I made it very clear that for those of us, who are engaged
in an effort to see President Assad step down... anything that
supports President Assad is problematic," Kerry said after
holding private talks with Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri
al-Maliki.
The Secretary of State added that the silent approval of the
Iranian overflights by the Iraqi authorities has left the American
people "wondering how it is a partner".
Washington believes that, despite claims that it’s only
humanitarian aid, Iran is sending arms and fighters to help Assad
in his war against the US-backed National Coalition for Syrian
Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.
AP is citing an unnamed US official, who said that such flights
occur "close to daily", undermining American efforts to support the
rebels.
The flights have long been an issue in the relationship between
Washington and Baghdad. In 2012, previous Secretary of State,
Hillary Clinton, received a promise from Iraq to check the Iranian
flights last year, but since then only two aircraft have been
inspected.
Kerry’s comments came after a group of senators sent a letter to
President Barack Obama last week, urging him to step up US military
efforts in Syria, including destroying Assad's aircraft using
precision airstrikes.
Editor of Politics First magazine, Marcus Papadopolous, told RT
that it’s “very difficult to tell” whether Iran is providing
military support to Assad or not.
But he finds Kerry’s criticism of Iraq’s negligence towards
overflights “hypocritical” as there are some other US partners, who
made a lot greater contribution to fueling the Syrian conflict.
“It’s ironic given that Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who are
America’s strategic allies, have been the ones responsible for the
bloodshed in Syria through their support for Syrian militants in
the form of weapons, cash and Islamist fighters.. And they are the
ones, who have blood on their hands and they should be in the
International Criminal Court,” Papadopolous stressed.
The civil war has been raging in Syria for over two years, with
70,000 already killed according to UN figures, as Assad and the
opposition refuse to sit together at the negotiation table.