SYRIA: Syria calls the West not to interfere in Iran's internal affairs

Record ID: 278605

  • Title: SYRIA: Syria calls the West not to interfere in Iran's internal affairs
  • Date: 23rd June 2009
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (JUNE 22, 2009) (REUTERS) MEETING BETWEEN SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WALID AL-MOALLEM AND DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER MAXIME VERHAGEN SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WALID AL-MOALLEM DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER MAXIME VERHAGEN VARIOUS OF MEETING REPORTERS AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE HALL MOALLEM AND VERHAGEN ARRIVING INTO THE HALL PHOTOGRAPHER MOALLEM TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (
  • Embargoed: 8th July 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA1ZRVEQOYI69LMYVN0YAUNG3LK
  • Story Text: Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem says the West should not Iran's internal affairs.
    Syria called the West on Monday (June 22) not to interfere in Iran's internal affairs for the good of the negotiations between Iran and the United States.
    "It (the intervention in Iran's internal affairs) harms what we hope of for a future dialogue between the United States and Iran on a base of mutual respect an not interfering in the internal affairs of either country," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, said in a joint news conference held in Damascus with his Dutch counterpart Maxime Verhagen.
    Iranian authorities have accused Western powers of supporting the widespread street protests, and have not ruled out expulsions of some European ambassadors.
    Iranian state television said 10 people were killed and more than 100 others wounded in demonstrations held in Tehran on Saturday in defiance of a warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
    Moallem said the relationship between Iran and the West should be based on mutual respect.
    "The bet on bringing the Iranian system down...this is a lost bet," Moallem said.
    U.S. President Barack Obama, at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to halt an Iranian nuclear program the West fears could yield atomic weapons, has urged Iran to stop violence against protesters. Germany has called for an election recount. Government restrictions prevent correspondents working for foreign media from attending protests to report.
    Pro-reform clerics have increased pressure on Iran's conservative leadership.
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