DHAKA: A potential US-led military strike against Syria would be ‘illegal’ based on the United Nations charter, Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javed Zarif said in Baghdad on Sunday.

‘Civilised countries, 65 years ago, took the options off the table when they rejected in the charter of the United Nations resort to force as an illegal practice,’ Zarif said, speaking in English in a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari.

‘Why (do) they (countries supporting a strike) call themselves civilised nations and continue to insist on all options being on the table?’ he continued, reports The Straits Times.

‘All options have been removed from the table long, long, long time ago.’

BDST: 1852 HRS, SEPT 08, 2013
RoR/RK