Iran Vows To Support Syria; Two Foreign Reporters Killed

The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday said the Islamic republic would oppose any foreign intervention in Syria. “Iran will defend Syria as the country maintains its policy of resistance against the Zionist regime (Israel), and (Iran) strongly opposes any intervention by foreign forces in Syrian affairs,” said Khamenei.

The Supreme Leader, who welcomed Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in Mashhad (northeast of the country), said he supported reforms promised by the Syrian president and opposed “any plan by the Americans against Syria.”

Earlier Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with Erdogan and spoke about Iran’s nuclear program. “The government and the Turkish nation have always maintained a clear stand towards Iran’s nuclear program and will not change this policy in the future,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Iranian state television.

Meanwhile, two freelance journalists, including a Briton of Algerian origin, were killed on the Syrian-Turkish border by the Syrian army, said Thursday the organization of defense of press freedom Reporters Without Borders (RSF). “Reporters Without Borders condemns the death of two freelance journalists, killed during an attack by Syrian forces, March 26, 2012, at Darkush, on the Syrian-Turkish border, against 50 people trying to cross into Syria,” said the NGO in a statement.

According to the NGO, “one of them, Walid Blidi, is a British citizen of Algerian origin.” RSF said that the nationality of his colleague, Nassim Terreri, remains to be determined. “A third journalist was reportedly injured in the attack,” it added.

In London, the Foreign Office said it was investigating the matter. “We are aware of this information and we examine it,” it said.