Iran condemns U.S. recognition of Israel's "sovereignty" over Golan Heights

TEHRAN, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran's president Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday condemned U.S. president Donald Trump's recent move of recognizing Israel's "sovereignty" over the occupied Golan Heights.

Trump's unilateral move was against international law, Rouhani was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

"The U.S. unilateral move to grant a piece of land to a usurper (state of Israel), which belongs to a nation (Syria), is a violation of international law," Rouhani was quoted as saying.

Besides, in a phone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi later on Tuesday, the Iranian president called for "closer cooperation" among countries in the Middle East to counter the U.S. and Israel, Press TV reported.

"The Zionist (Israel) regime's excessive demands and Washington's wrong decisions further necessitate closer cooperation among regional countries," Rouhani told the Iraqi prime minister.

"Worrisome remarks about the violation of the Palestinian and Syrian nations' rights, particularly about the Golan Heights, are very dangerous for regional security," he added.

On Monday, Trump proclaimed to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981. However, the international community has never recognized the Israeli move.