MOSCOW (Sputnik) — President Bashar Assad said Sunday successful cooperation between Syria, Russia, Iran and Iraq would save the region from destruction.
Pres. #Assad to Iranian #Khabar #TV: The coalition consisting of #Russia, #Syria, #Iran, #Iraq must succeed or the region will be destroyed.
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) 4 октября 2015
Russia started carrying out airstrikes against ISIL in Syria on Wednesday, following the request of Assad.
Assad said the coalition had high chances to succeed, as a number of countries had already expressed their support to the coalition.
The Syrian leader stressed that Moscow's role in the national reconciliation cannot be overrated.
President Bashar al-Assad to the #Iranian Khabar #TV: #Moscow3 is essential for the success of #Geneva3.
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) 4 октября 2015
"When we reach a consensus as Syrians in the Moscow conference, any other conference, or any other dialogue will be bound by the consensus that we will reach in Moscow. That is why we said that Moscow 3 is essential for the success of Geneva 3," Assad told Khabar TV in an interview.
Syria's warring parties have met twice over the last three years at UN-backed Geneva conferences and twice in the Russian capital Moscow but failed to reach a practical solution toward ending the violence that has killed more than 250,000 people.
He added that Russia never tried to impose anything on Syria, especially in connection with the ongoing crisis in the country.
President Bashar al-Assad to the Iranian #Khabar #TV: The Russians have never tried to impose anything on us, especially in this crisis.
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) 4 октября 2015
Assad promised to resign if it could facilitate the reconciliation in the war-torn country.
President #Assad to the Iranian #Khabar #TV: If my leaving office is the solution, I will never hesitate to do so.
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) 4 октября 2015
President #Assad to the Iranian Khabar #TV: Whatever the Syrian people decide will be binding to us as a state and to me as an official.
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) 4 октября 2015
The Syrian authorities support any political measures in the country along with counterterrorism efforts, Assad said.
The Syrian president also noted that a political solution to the Syrian conflict was unlikely until a number of states continued to support terrorism.
The United States and some of its allies have been conducting airstrikes against ISIL positions in both Syria and Iraq since 2014. However, the efficiency of the US-led coalition's airstrikes is questionable.
President #Assad to the Iranian Khabar TV: Since the US led coalition was formed, #ISIS expanded geographically and its recruits multiplied.
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) 4 октября 2015
The US-led coalition has conducted airstrikes on ISIL positions in Syria without the permission of Damascus, even though international law permits the use of force in a foreign country only if it has been authorized by the UN Security Council, as an act of self-defense, or at the request of the country’s authorities.
