France: Turkey, Iran violating international, Syria using chlorine gas
PARIS - France's foreign minister said on Wednesday that Turkey and Iran were among those violating international law by their actions in Syria and warned that Ankara should not add "war to war".
"Ensuring the security of its borders does not mean killing civilians and that should be condemned. In a dangerous situation in Syria, (Turkey) should not add war to war," Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM TV.
International law "is being violated by Turkey, by the Damascus regime, by Iran and those who are attacking eastern Ghouta and Idlib", he said.
Le Drian also said that "all indications show us that the Syrian regime is using chlorine gas at the moment."
The government and its ally Russia have been pounding a besieged rebel-held area outside Damascus for the last two days with airstrikes, killing dozens of people.
A UN-mandated investigator said Tuesday his team was probing reports that bombs allegedly containing weaponized chlorine have been used on two recent occasions in Syria.
"An investigation has been opened on that matter by the United Nations," Le Drian said. "The threat of using chemical weapons remains, this is a very serious situation."
