“We strongly believe the only solution to the Syrian crisis is the achievement of a political agreement through dialog between the opposition and the Syrian government,” Rahimi said at the 11th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Wednesday.
He went on to say that attempts to militarize the crisis in Syria as well as supplying arms to unauthorized groups will not only fail to help the resolution of the unrest but also further complicate the situation in the region and lead to more bloodshed.
Rahimi added that the persistence of violence and conflicts in regional countries was not to the benefit of the region, stressing that the possible spread of tension to other countries will put at risk the regional stability and security.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Rahimi condemned Israel’s recent attack against Gaza and said the supporters of the Tel Aviv regime, who claim to be advocates of human rights and freedom, have helped Israel in its crimes against the Palestinians by remaining silent on the regime’s aggression.
He said that it was the duty of all countries to support the people of Gaza at the present juncture, pointing to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s calls for the adoption of political and economic measures in support of the Palestinians, in particular the people of Gaza.
At least 160 Palestinians, including many women and children, were killed and over 1,200 others were injured in Israel’s recent eight-day war on the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Regarding the issue of terrorism, Rahimi said that Iran was ready to fully cooperate with the SCO in the fight against terrorism.
The 11th prime ministers' meeting of the SCO opened on Wednesday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
The SCO is an intergovernmental security organization that was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, Iran, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan are observer states.
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