Iranian president urges West not to provocate Syria

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the West should avoid repeated provocations toward Syria or exerting pressure on the country, Iran's presidential website reported Saturday. Ahmadinejad made the remarks in an interview with CNN Saturday. Asked about Iran's stance concerning Syria's recent developments and Turkey's position toward the country, Ahmadinejad said that "Iran has condemned massacre and killings in every part of the world and believes that governments and people can resolve all their problems through dialogue." NATO and other countries should not interfere in the internal affairs of the countries, he said, adding that European states should avoid provocating or exerting pressure on Syria. According to Ahmadinejad, Iran is seeking to encourage understanding and dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition.