Russia and Iran: No foreign intervention in Syria

The leaders of Russia and Iran called for a peaceful resolution of the Syrian conflict without international intervention Wednesday, the Moscow-based news outlet RIA Novosti reported.

A statement issued by the Kremlin noted that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had spoken via telephone about the “dramatic situation” in Syria.

“The sides agreed that the main goal today … is to prevent a civil war in the country,” read the statement.

Medvedev also spoke on Wednesday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the Kremlin website reported. The two leaders agreed that the situation in Syria can only be resolved by diplomatic means, and that sanctions against the Assad regime would only “aggravate the Syrian people’s social and economic problems,” according to the Kremlin.

In order to ensure regional peace and stability, Medvedev and al-Maliki stressed the importance of continued coordination between their two nations.