Iran denies that it is directly involved in the renewed violence in Syria, in which hundreds of people have died.
Tehran had strong ties with the ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad and there were reports that Iran played a role in the attacks by pro-Assad fighters on Thursday.
“This accusation is completely ridiculous,” says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A spokesperson speaks of “100 percent deception”.
After the attack by Assad’s supporters, the violence in Syria escalated. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, troops of the new rulers took revenge and almost a thousand civilians were killed in a few days. They were mainly Alawites, Assad’s religious minority.
Iran says there is “no justification” for attacks on minorities in Syria.