Spokesman: Iran Hopes US Acts ‘Rationally’ on Syria

“Political and diplomatic solutions must be given a chance in Syria and we hope the American leaders will rationally deal with the (Syrian) issue," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi told reporters on Tuesday.

We strongly warn against any military attack against Syria, as such an attack would have perilous consequences and engulf the entire region, he said , adding that so far the UN Security Council has not permitted the use of force there and "is not supposed to do so in the future."

Araqchi further noted that the main pretext for the US and some other western countries for a possible military action against the Syrian government is the suspected chemical attacks around Damascus last week, but those attacks, he said, were carried out while the UN inspectors were in the country, and as a result must have been done by the terrorists.

Meantime, Russia said Monday that Moscow has no evidence of whether a chemical weapons attack has taken place in Syria or who is responsible, Russian President Vladimir Putin told British Prime Minister David Cameron in a telephone call.

The two officials had an urgent phone call on Monday afternoon regarding the Syrian crisis in the wake of a sniper attack on UN chemical inspectors outside Damascus, RT reported.

Both leaders reaffirmed the stance that all G8 attendees took in June: “No-one should use chemical weapons and any use would merit a serious response from the international community.”

And Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Monday the West had not evidence that forces loyal to President Assad had used chemical weapons.

The alleged attack took place last Wednesday in an eastern suburb of Syria’s capital, Damascus. Hundreds of people are said to have been killed in the attacks.