venezuela syria
Venezuela will affirm its support for President Bashar Assad's government in Damascus and oppose the ongoing foreign military intervention in Syria during a United Nations Security Council debate on Wednesday, Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations Rafael Ramirez told Sputnik. "We are going to have a debate tomorrow... we are going to expose our position, first of all, supporting the legitimate government of Syria, President Bashar al-Assad. Secondly, asking to avoid foreign intervention in the conflict," Ramirez said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The UN Security Council will convene on Wednesday with the conflict in Syria and faltering ceasefire on the top of the agenda.

The 71st UN General Assembly has focused heavily on the refugee crisis, which has been exacerbated in Syria after five years of civil war. Ramirez explained that "the best help for the Syrian refugees is to stop the war." He went on to condemn the United States intervening directly in Syria, and violating the cessation of hostilities with the Sunday airstrikes that hit a Syrian Army position outside the city of Deir ez-Zor.

UN Chief Seeks Iranian Support in Resolving Syrian, Yemeni Crises

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday asked Iran for help in getting peace process back on track in Syria and Yemen, at a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in New York.

"The Secretary-General stressed the need to find a political solution to the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, and sought Iran's support in facilitating the resumption of peace talks for both countries," the UN statement read. Ban said Tehran had to use its influence on the Syrian government and the opposition forces in Yemen and encourage them to engage in talks with rival forces in their respective countries "in a spirit of pragmatism and compromise."

The UN chief also emphasized to Rouhani the importance of implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the UN Security Council resolution on its nuclear program that were agreed last year.