US State dept. briefing, March 9, 2017 – During the U.S. Department of State briefing a reporter raised a question asking Mark C. Toner, the acting spokesperson that Ambassador Haley had said on March 8 that a political settlement in Syria requires that it no longer be a safe haven for terrorists. She said “We’ve got to make sure we get Iran and their proxies out.” The reporter asked if reducing in a significant way Iran’s influence in Damascus is a new U.S. objective in regards to Syria?
Mr. Toner replied, “Not at all. We’ve consistently raised our concerns about the destabilizing nature of Iran’s activities in the region, but certainly in Syria, and we continue to hold the Iranian Government accountable for its actions, using the tools at our disposal.
“On Syria, frankly, the support the Assad regime has received and continues to receive from Iran has enabled it to avoid pursuing what we all agree is the only outcome possible there to resolve the conflict, and that is a peaceful political outcome. It’s allowed them to avoid seeking a negotiated end to the conflict, and that’s an issue.
“We’ve imposed targeted sanctions on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as well as its Ministry of Intelligence and Security for their support of the Assad regime. So as I said, we’re looking to counter those destabilizing actions, and we have recognized for some time – that Iran is playing a very destabilizing role in Syria. That should come as a surprise to no one.”