Notion of Syria power transition "an illusion": Iran FM

The idea of a managed transition of power in Syria is an "illusion," Iran's foreign minister said on Sunday, as his Syrian counterpart expressed Damascus' commitment to international mediator Kofi Annan's peace plan. Moualem said Syria was also committed to Annan's six-point plan that aims to end 16 months of violence in which 18,000 people have been killed, Reuters reports.
The plan calls for a ceasefire, which has been widely ignored by both sides, as a first stage in the political transition to ending the violence.
It also calls for access for aid, the release of arbitrarily detained people, freedom of movement for journalists and the freedom to protest peacefully.
"We are committed to fulfill Mr. Annan's plan fully because we consider this plan a reasonable plan," he said.
Moualem said Syria was able to defend every inch of its soil from what he called a conspiracy by armed terrorist groups that served Israel's interests.