Iranian FM, UN chief discuss Syrian crisis

TEHRAN,Sep.3(MNA) – During a telephone conversation late on Saturday with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Iranian foreign minister said that a possible military intervention in Syria by the United States over the alleged use of chemical weapons by government forces would have severe repercussions. Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the Islamic Republic was opposed to the use of force to deal with the Syrian crisis, adding that Iran was ready to help find a peaceful solution to the issue. For his part, the UN chief called for international efforts to help find a political solution to the Syrian crisis. In another telephone conversation with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua Milano on Sunday, Zarif said using force to deal with the Syrian issue would lead to dangerous consequences which could not be controlled by the country which started it. “We also believe that the use of chemical weapons in any shape or form by anyone should be condemned, but we also believe that resort to force is totally illegal and will undermine international peace and security,” he said. The Venezuelan official said that his country was opposed to the use of force as a substitute for the adoption of political solutions to help settle the issue. Zarif also held a telephone conversation with Sartaj Aziz, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s adviser on foreign affairs, on Monday, in which he said that a possible military intervention in Syria would aggravate the situation and foster instability, terrorism, and extremism in the region.