Face to face between Obama and Putin. Moscow ready to support an international coalition with a UN mandate. Differences remain over the fate of Assad. Tehran calls for a "united front" against terrorism. Diplomatic source tells AsiaNews the situation is "complex", it’s in everyone’s interests to stop the violence, but differences remain over solutions. And the population continues to suffer.

Damascus (AsiaNews) – A broad coalition to engage the Islamic and jihadist movements in Syria (and Iraq), backed by Russia and Iran. While Putin and Obama argue over how to resolve the crisis in Syria, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is calling for the formation of a "united front" against terrorism in the Middle East and confirms that Tehran is ready to "bring democracy" in Syria and Yemen.

A diplomatic source for AsiaNews in Damascus says "the situation is delicate and complex" and are therefore difficult to predict. " it’s in everyone’s interests to stop the violence, but differences remain over solutions - he adds – also to solve the refugee crisis in Europe. However, as soon as you start talking about the concrete ways to achieve this goal differences emerge". Beyond a general "common will", says the source, "discussions" that ensue have so far proven fruitless in providing "solutions on the ground. Meanwhile, the reality continues to be critical, with civilians increasingly exhausted by years of conflict”.

In fact, the United States and France - who yesterday launched the first air strikes in Syria - insist that Assad must leave after a period of transition and the process of reconstruction of the country must be done without the current president. For the Russian leadership this solution would be a "huge mistake", because the government in Damascus, to date, is a key partner in the fight against the Islamic state.

Iranian President Rouhani also spoke about the Syrian crisis at the UN General Assembly and called for the creation of a united front to combat extremism. Speaking for the first time to the Assembly since the historic signing of the agreement on nuclear power, the Iranian leader issued an invitation "to the whole world and in particular to the countries of my region, to discuss a plan of action and create a united front against extremism and violence. " The biggest threat to the world today, he added, is the transformation of "terrorist organizations into terrorist nations."

 On the Syrian crisis, he did not want to indicate what the future fate of Assad will be, but suggested that it is the Syrian people through elections, who must choose their future leader. "We support - he said - the consolidation of power by popular vote, rather than by force of arms."

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