Former US envoy to Syria, James Jeffrey, believed that the US had no authority to prevent any country from engaging with the Assad regime.
He also noted that senior Arab leaders reaffirmed that they will not take action against the regime unless a group of Arab and international concerns are addressed.
Jeffrey said that the most prominent of these concerns are the resolution of the Syrian refugees and IDPs crisis, reconciliation with regions outside the regime’s control, and the withdrawal of Iran’s strategic weapons from the country.
According to the Al-Hurra website, Jeffrey explained that Assad should better coordinate the fight against ISIS and be held accountable for human rights crimes and the use of chemical weapons.
The former US envoy pointed out that these concerns “fit completely with US demands”, considering that “the conflict in Syria is still frozen and Assad is still isolated and punished until these demands are accepted and implemented.”
