Iran’s Syria envoy rejects reports on cash theft from embassy
Press TV – December 11, 2024
Iran’s ambassador to Syria has rejected reports that some $42 million worth of cash was stolen from the Iranian embassy in Damascus just after staff left it in anticipation of a change of government in the Arab country.
“There was a single dollar. Why should there be $42 million in an embassy,” said Hossein Akbari on Wednesday during an interview with Tasnim news agency.
Akbari said the ransacking of the Iranian embassy, which took place on Monday, was the work of a group of thugs who were not related to armed militants taking control of Damascus after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad left the country last weekend.
He said that only the embassy’s furniture had been damaged during the ransacking, adding that the staff had evacuated all other important items, including computers and technical equipment.
The ambassador said that Iran’s embassy in Damascus is currently under protection like other foreign missions in Syria upon orders issued by the ruling militants.
“I’m sorry for those media outlets that gave such extensive coverage to this fake news,” he said while referring to the domestic circulation of the story on cash theft from the embassy in Syria which he said had originally been reported by anti-Iran platforms outside of the country.
Akbari said that some 10,000 Iranians are currently working or studying in Syria and need to receive regular consular services.
He added that the ruling militants in Damascus have been urging foreign missions to continue their activities, adding that Iran will resume offering consular services in Syria once the Arab country’s transitional government sets up its foreign ministry.
Noted. Some odd reportage…e.g., final three paragraphs.
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Comment by roberthstiver | December 12, 2024 |