Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi criticized Syria’s "oppressive regime" Thursday at an international conference in Iran – one of President Bashar Assad's few remaining allies - and called for outside intervention to end the civil war.
Morsi, a moderate Islamist, told a summit of non-aligned nations in Tehran that Assad’s government had “lost its legitimacy” and the international community had an “ethical duty” to help the Syrian people.
The Syrian delegation at the summit walked out during Morsi's speech, regional news channel al-Jazeera reported.
By ousting military chiefs, Egypt's Morsi shows he's a force to be reckoned with
Morsi said bloodshed in Syria would only end if there were "effective interference" from outside.
"The bloodshed in Syria is our responsibility on all our shoulders and we have to know that the bloodshed cannot stop without effective interference from all of us," Morsi said.
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"We all have to announce our full solidarity with the struggle of those seeking freedom and justice in Syria, and translate this sympathy into a clear political vision that supports a peaceful transition to a democratic system of rule that reflects the demands of the Syrian people for freedom."
Al-Jazeera's Imran Khan reported that Morsi's comments caused "unease" in the room "especially for the Iranians who are close to Syria."
Reuters contributed to this report.
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