Iraq to tighten searches of Iran-Syria flights

Iraq would search more Iranian aircraft flying via its airspace to Syria, soon after US State Secretary John Kerry slammed Baghdad for taking no action in that regard, media reports Saturday.
Kerry earlier told reporters in Baghdad during his surprise visit there that he “made very clear to the prime minister that the overflights from Iran are in fact helping to sustain [Syrian] President [Bashar] al-Assad and his regime.” He told Maliki that American politicians were “watching what Iraq is doing.”
About 70,000 people have died in Syria since the start of the uprising against Assad in March 2011, according to UN figures.