Warning to Syria also for Russia, Iran: Nikki Haley

A White House warning to Syria against another chemical attack is also directed at Russia and Iran, Damascus' principal international backers, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday.

The White House said late Monday should Bashar al-Assad's forces carry out another chemical attack "he and his military will pay a heavy price".

That warning, Nikki Haley said, extends to his allies in Moscow and Tehran, reports Anadolu News.

Speaking before the House appropriations foreign operations subcommittee, Haley told lawmakers, "The goal is at this point not just to send Assad a message, but to send Russia and Iran a message.

"If this happens again, we are putting you on notice. And my hope is that the president's warning will certainly get Iran and Russia to take a second look, and I hope that it will caution Assad from the fact that we don't want to see innocent men, women and children hurt again," she said.

Earlier in April, Washington had accused Syria of carrying out a chemical attack on civilians, a claim refuted by the Syrian regime. Following this, President Trump gave orders to fire dozens of Tomahawk missiles at Shayrat airbase in central Syria.