Iranian President-elect Hassan Rouhani waves to reporters during a news conference in Tehran on June 17.
In a series of comments on Twitter over the past 24 hours, Iran’s new president said Iranian officials "completely and strongly condemn the use of chemical weapons in Syria," and urged the United Nations to "use all its might" to prevent more attacks.
He later slightly softened his tone, tweeting that the international community should show "prudence" in resolving the crisis in Syria.
Hassan Rouhani, who took office earlier this month, did not blame any of the players in Syria's civil war for the chemical weapons attacks, but did raise the possibility that Syrian rebels were responsible.
Rouhani’s online comments were generally more even-handed than statements made by other Iranian leaders, possibly reflecting his stated desire for improved relations with the West.
