US attack on Syria to engulf entire ME: Rafsanjani

Rafsanjani on Saturday expressed concern about mounting tensions in Muslim countries, saying the height of these tensions were in Syria.

“It seems that the main objective of US adventurism in the region is not limited to Syria and engulfs the entire region.”

“…a US attack and aggression will probably not be confined to Syria and the outbreak of war in this country and in fact their dangerous warmongering game could engulf the entire region,” he said.

Rafsanjani warned the US and its allies against attacking Syria and said they might start the war of their own will, but the end of this war would be out of their control.

He also underlined the strategic significance of Syria in the region and said Damascus was the stronghold of resistance against the Zionist regime.

The rhetoric of war against Syria primarily intensified after foreign-backed opposition forces accused the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of launching a chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21.

However, Damascus has categorically rejected the claim, and announced that the chemical attack had actually been carried out by the militants themselves as a black operation.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that Washington is still seeking an "international coalition" for a potential attack on Syria.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011.