Iran condemns foreign action against Syria

TEHRAN, June 14 (UPI) -- Any possible foreign military presence to counter the Syrian government's crackdown on protesters was condemned Tuesday by Iran's Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast denounced "any interference of other countries in regional states' affairs," the government-backed Iranian Students' News Agency reported.

"We believe developments in Syria are internal issues and [the] Syrian government and nation are wise enough to settle their problems," Mehmanparast said during his weekly news conference.

A senior Syrian lawmaker downplayed western attempts to push Syria into a situation similar to Libya, saying Damascus would never get to that point, Fars News Agency reported.

NATO-led airstrikes against military targets have been conducted in Libya since March in fulfillment of a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for, among other things, protection of Libyan citizens from leader Moammar Gadhafi.

"Western attempts to set the model of Libya in Damascus are doomed to failure," Shahadah Kamel told the agency.

Reports from human rights organizations indicate more than 1,100 people had been killed and at least 10,000 detained in the weeks since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad began.