Russia said today that a US decision to lift some restrictions on arms deliveries to the anti-Assad regime Syrian opposition was risky because weapons might end up in the hands of “terrorists”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that such a scenario, if it came to pass, would pose a threat to the Middle East and to Russian forces in Syria.

Commenting on US-Russian efforts to strike a deal to facilitate the safe passage of Syrian rebels from eastern Aleppo, Peskov said the Kremlin hoped an agreement could be reached, but said talks on the subject were complex and kept faltering due to decisions taken by the United States.

The Kremlin did not comment on the fact that it was supplying advanced weapons systems to the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad, or on the fact that Russia was arming Iran with similarly advanced weapons systems as well as cutting lucrative construction and energy deals with the Shia powers.

From the start of the Syrian Revolution in 2011, Shia Iran has supported the Assad regime and has participated directly in combat against the opposition, being directly or indirectly involved in the deaths of almost half a million Syrians, largely Sunnis.

Both Russia and Iran have consistently protected the Assad regime, despite repeated confirmation that the regime has utilised chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction against the Syrian people.

Nevertheless, Russia and Iran continue to arm, support and finance the Syrian regime.