Top US diplomat urges Syria to stop Hezbollah arms shipments, stem militant flow to Iraq

US says Syria must curb arm shipments to Hezbollah

AMMAN, Jordan — A top U.S. diplomat has urged Syria to do more to prevent arms shipments to the militant Lebanese Hezbollah and stem the flow of militants into Iraq.

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman said while relations remain uneasy, Syria was important to achieving a full Arab-Israeli settlement.

He told reporters Thursday that Washington wants to influence Damascus because of its ties to Iran and other U.S. foes in the region.

Feltman said that because Syria has the ear of Hezbollah, Iran and the militant Palestinian Hamas, the Obama administration felt it must make its own views known to Damascus to ensure peace and security in the region.