Washington, DC – Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today denounced the Government of Iraq’s decision to allow Iran to transport weapons and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) troops to Syria through its sovereign airspace, as reported in several major newspapers.

“I am appalled by reports that the Government of Iraq has rejected U.S. requests to prevent Iran from using Iraqi airspace to transport arms and members of the IRGC to support the brutal Assad regime in Syria,” said Rep. Berman. “This action is also in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1747 banning the exports of weapons from Iran.”

“These arms are undoubtedly being used in the ongoing massacres of civilians, as well as propping up a dictator whose hands are soaked in the blood of his own people. The United States cannot provide Iraq with military assistance if it continues to enable the killing in Syria.”

“If Iraq persists in abetting Iran’s illegal arms shipments, I will consider introducing legislation to prevent any delivery of U.S.-made F-16 fighter aircraft to Iraq,” Berman declared.

###