Assad: Russia and Iran want peace in the Middle East

According to Syrian President Bashar Assad, Russia is a strong ally that is seeking to provide assistance in the political settlement of the crisis in Syria.

Moscow definitely wants to have balance in the world, Assad said. It's not only about Syria, "it's about the future of the world. Russia wants to be a great power that has its own say in the future of this world," TASS cited him as saying.

The Syrian president also said that Syria, Iran and Russia see eye-to-eye regarding these conflicts, adding that Russia has not asked for anything. "Nothing at all. Russia is taking steps to resolve the Syrian conflict for the region, and for the world, because stability is very important for them," he said.

"The West, and especially the United States, don’t accept partners. They only accept followers. Even Europe is not a partner of the United States," the Syrian leader continued.

According to Assad, Syria "didn't impose a trade embargo against the United States and didn't attack the American population." He recalled that it was the United States that carried out a military operation on Syrian territory.