Iran, Russia Stress Shared Concern on Syria War Threat

President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in their phone talk on Wednesday evening emphasized that any arbitrary military attack against Syria is a "blatant violation of the international law", adding that such a move can only lead to more instability in the Middle East.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns use of chemical weapons anywhere and by anybody but believes that any pre-judgment on the issue can be dangerous,” Rouhani said.

He also praised Russia’s stance on the issue, saying that it contributes to the establishment of peace in Syria.

Syria has a sensitive and strategic position and any military attack against it can cause instability all over the Middle East, President Rouhani said, adding that a likely foreign military intervention there is therefore "cause for serious concern."

He also called for more political and diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing a military intervention, and stated, “Such an attack can put at risk all the achievements of peace-loving countries.”

President Putin, too, said that international issues have become very complicated, adding that Russia, like Iran, believes that use of weapons of mass destruction including chemical weapons is unacceptable.

He also said that no authentic evidence has been presented on the use of chemical weapons by the government of Syria, and noted that Russia does not believe that Syrian government has used chemical weapons since they had the upper-hand in the fight with rebels and did not need to resort to such deadly weapons.

Putin added that if US has any evidence to prove that Syria used chemical weapons, as they claim, they should give their information to the UN inspectors.

Earlier, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei had underlined that military intervention in Syria will be harmful to the US, and noted that meddling of trans-regional countries in the region will only result in more antipathy towards them.

“If such a move (possible attack on Syria) takes place, the Americans will surely suffer losses just like what they underwent in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Ayatollah Khamenei said on Wednesday, addressing Iranian cabinet members here in Tehran.

The Leader also described the US possible military intervention in Syria as “a disaster for the region,” adding, ”Trans-regional and foreign powers’ intervention in a country will result in nothing but igniting fire, and will also increase the nations’ aversion to them (meddling countries).”

“Such fire is like a spark in a powder keg, whose aftermath and ramification will be unclear,” Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.

“The region is passing through sensitive and critical days,” the Leader cautioned.

The remarks by Ayatollah Khamenei came while the US and some of its western allies have announced their readiness to hit Syria, on the pretext of suspected chemical attack by the Syrian government.

Meantime, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad dismissed western allegations that he used chemical weapons as politically motivated and warned Washington any US military intervention would fail.

"Failure awaits the United States as in all previous wars it has unleashed, starting with Vietnam and up to the present day," he said on Monday.

Assad also said Syrian government forces had been close to where rebel forces say chemical weapons were used last week. "Would any state use chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction in a place where its own forces are concentrated? That would go against elementary logic," Assad stated.