Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have expressed the necessity of reaching a compromise in Syria through exclusively political and diplomatic means.
In a statement, the Kremlin Media Office said that the two presidents consider the use of chemical weapons as "forbidden in principle," whoever is responsible for their use.
As for calls for military intervention in Syria increased, the two parties stressed the necessity of looking for a political solution.
For his part, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon expressed his support for a political solution to the crisis, saying there is no alternative. He also confirmed the importance of continuing the U.N. investigations in the country.
Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, meanwhile also stressed that the crisis in Syria has no military solution and that everyone should seek a political solution to restore stability.
In telephone conversations with the Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Italian, Swiss, Spanish, Greek, French, Algerian and Azeri foreign ministers, Zarif said that the world cannot bear another war and resorting to force in the 21st century is rejected.
In Egypt, Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said in a statement on Thursday that Egypt "rejects and denounces the use of chemical weapons by either side and urges the international community to bring the culprits to justice after the U.N. investigations submit their findings.
"Egypt clearly states that it will not become involved in any military act," the statement said.
Italy's Prime Minister Anrico Lita also said that Italy will not participate in any military operation against Syria without a U.N. mandate.
Reuters quoted Lita as saying in a radio interview on Thursday that ''If the U.N. has not supported that choice, then Italy will not participate."
Slovakia also reiterated its call for a peaceful solution to the crisis, indicating that it is too early to speak of an alternative or an international reaction to an alleged chemical weapons use in Syria outside the U.N. Security Council mandate.I
n addition, the World Peace Council lashed out at the intentions of the U.S. and its allies to launch an aggression on Syria based on allegations of chemical weapons use.
"Imperialist powers have invoked the same pretexts in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, which have always been connected to intentions to control the region and enforce a regime change," the Council said in a statement.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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