Kerry: Iran and Russia May Prevent the Use of Barrel Bombs in Syria

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated in an interview with MSNBC on September 29 that Moscow and Tehran may prevent the Syrian government from using barrel bombs. The use of barrel bombs, which have high explosive power, typically leaves a large number of casualties in areas controlled by rebels, with many reports indicating that many victims are civilians. The Human Rights Watch has called for increased sanctions against the Assad regime due to its 'continued use of barrel bombs.' Iran and Russia are considered the main supporters of Bashar al-Assad's government. This issue was also raised in a question to Mr. Kerry. According to Reuters, when asked if there is a possibility that Iran and Russia could use their influence over Assad to stop the use of barrel bombs, he replied, 'Definitely.' Kerry mentioned that he brought this topic up in a meeting with the foreign ministers of Iran and Russia. According to AFP, Kerry suggested that cooperation with Russia and Iran regarding Syria may increase. At the same time, he stated that there is an agreement between Washington and Moscow that Syria should be a 'unified,' 'secular,' and 'ISIS-free' country. In addition to direct discussions between the U.S. and Russia regarding Syria, the U.S. Secretary of State has also raised this issue in his meetings with Mohammad Javad Zarif, his Iranian counterpart. The Iranian Foreign Minister stated that various issues are discussed in meetings with Mr. Kerry, but according to the Supreme Leader's directive, negotiations must focus on the nuclear agreement and its implementation. On the other hand, in a recent meeting of the Iranian Foreign Minister and six world powers regarding the implementation of the 'Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action' in New York, Syria was also mentioned. Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, told reporters after the meeting that the foreign ministers discussed Syria with Iran. Ms. Mogherini suggested that perhaps the 'existing framework' (the Iran 5+1 negotiations) could be used to address 'regional issues.'