UN calls for Iran help on Syria

Ban made the request during a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held on the sidelines of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, PressTV reported.

During the brief meeting, Ban requested that Rouhani use his influence towards reviving the peace process in the two Arab countries.

Ban also stressed the importance of the full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by all related parties.

The July 2015 deal, struck between Iran and the P5+1 countries, namely Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, envisaged Tehran scaling back its nuclear program in return for the lifting of all nuclear-related sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

For his part, Rouhani expressed deep concerns over Saudi Arabia’s incessant military attacks and war crimes against the people.

Despite pressures, the United Nations should not "give up its responsibilities concerning the basic principles of human rights in Yemen," he said.     

Meanwhile, Rouhani called for a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict ravaging the country for the past five years.

"What is of utmost importance is to understand that Syria doesn't have a military solution," he said during an interview with NBC, adding, "And the Syrians' problems must certainly be resolved politically. Only politically."

He also rejected calls made earlier by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who demanded that Syria and Russia ground all aircraft in Syria’s northern regions.

Rouhani stressed that such actions would only benefit the terrorist groups operating in the region.