Russia warns US against Syrian intervention

Russia has warned the United States against intervening in Syria.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said: "There should be no interference from the outside."

Mr Lavrov also said that all foreign powers can do is try to set up dialogue to resolve the conflict.

It comes after US President Barack Obama said the deployment of chemical weapons by the Assad regime could lead to direct intervention in the conflict.

The US President has warned of "enormous consequences" if evidence emerges of chemical weapons being moved around or utilised in Syria.

Barack Obama has said that Washington is monitoring the situation in the country closely and while he has not ordered intervention "at this point", the US could still intervene in the country's civil war.

President Obama said that if Syria looks like it might use its chemical weapons, it would be considered an act of aggression.

Dr Vincent Durac, lecturer in Middle East Politics in UCD, said the United States' chief concern is the weapons falling into the wrong hands.