“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy is to help the regional nations and governments, and I do not believe that problems in the region, particularly in Syria, can be solved militarily, but we seek [to help establish] a ceasefire in Syria to prevent [further] killings,” Rohani said in a telephone conversation with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Sunday.
Rohani dismissed any foreign meddling in Syria, stressing that the Syrian nation should determine its own destiny.
The Lebanese president, for his part, congratulated Rohani on his outright victory in Iran’s 11th presidential election and praised his “promising” stances on different issues.
Rohani emerged victorious in the presidential election of June 14, which was marked by a high voter turnout, winning 50.7 percent of a total of 36,704,156 ballots counted.
Also on Sunday, Rohani met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour at Iran’s Expediency Council's Center for Strategic Research, where they discussed bilateral ties and regional developments.
Regarding various agreements and protocols between Tehran and Beirut in various economic, cultural and trade fields, both sides underlined the expansion of mutual ties, Mansour told reporters after the meeting.
Commenting on the Syrian issue, he said that Iran and Lebanon have common views on stopping the delivery of arms to militants in Syria, establishing security in the country and solving the crisis peacefully and through diplomatic means.
The unrest in Syria erupted over two years ago and many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
