Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country will press efforts to ward off military action by the U.S. and its allies against the Tehran-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Iranian state TV reported on Thursday.
The report said the remarks came late Wednesday during a phone conversation between Mr. Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Mr. Rouhani was quoted as saying “military action will bring great costs for the region” and “it is necessary to apply all efforts to prevent it.”
According to the report, he said both Iran and Russia would work in “extensive cooperation” to prevent any military action against Syria. Rouhani also called such military action an “open violation” of international laws.
While condemning chemical weapons, Mr. Rouhani was quoted as saying, “Early judgment can be dangerous, before clarification” can be made of allegations that Syria used the weapons.
“Western countries have found some excuse to prepare the ground to weaken the stance of Syria in further talks” after the Syrian government has won the upper hand in confronting rebels, Mr. Rouhani said.
The president also predicted regional consequences for any military strike.
“Syria has a strategic and sensitive situation, and any sort of military invasion would lead to instability in the entire Middle East,” he said.
