Zarif calls US bombing of Syria unacceptable

Tehran, April 14 (IANS) Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday called the recent US missile attack against Syria unacceptable, media reports said.

Before travelling to Moscow for talks with his Russian and Syrian counterparts, Zarif criticised Washington's unilateral move and reiterated his call for an impartial international investigation into the attack, Efe news reported.

Washington's bombing of the Syrian Shayrat Airbase on April 6 came in retaliation for the chemical attack allegedly launched by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against Idlib province's town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Iran, Russia and Syria deny that the authorities in Damascus were behind the attack, in which more than 80 people were killed and hundreds injured.

The head of Iranian diplomacy has in recent days talked to many of his counterparts in a bid to persuade them of the need to open an impartial investigation.

Later on Friday, Zarif is set to meet with his Russian and Syrian counterparts, Sergey Lavrov and Walid al-Muallem, with whom he will also hold bilateral meetings.

The central issue of the talks will be discussing measures to prevent the undermining of political settlement efforts in Syria in the context of the US strike, the Russian foreign ministry said.