BREAKING NEWS

Iran says Syria gas attack reports 'excuse' for military action

DUBAI - Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday reports of a gas attack in Syria were not based on facts and were an "an excuse" by the United States and Western countries to take military action against Damascus, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

"Such claims and allegations by the Americans and some Western countries point to a new plot against the Syrian government and people, and are an excuse to take military action against them," IRNA reported foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying. The news agency also quoted Qasemi saying that the reports of the gas attack "do not match facts."