Assad Vows to Rid Syria of 'Terrorists;' Violence Mounts
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, meets with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus, August 7, 2012.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to purge his country of what he called "terrorists," as security forces continue to fight rebels who have tried to seize control of parts of Aleppo and Damascus.
Syrian state-run media quoted Mr. Assad Tuesday as saying he would show no leniency towards "terrorists." He met with Iran's visiting national security council secretary, Saeed Jalili.
Syrian state television showed the meeting, the first time Mr. Assad has appeared on television in two weeks.
Jalili pledged continued Iranian support to Syria, which he said was part of an "axis of resistance" against foreign opponents.
Earlier Tuesday, Iran said it was holding the United States responsible for the lives of 48 Iranians who were kidnapped by Syrian rebels in Damascus on Saturday.
State-run media say the Foreign Ministry told the Swiss envoy in Tehran that it expects the U.S. to use its influence to secure the Iranians' release without any preconditions.
Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran because Washington and Tehran do not have diplomatic relations. The U.S. has said in the past it is only providing non-lethal assistance to Syrian rebels.
Iran says the 48 abducted were religious pilgrims, but the rebel Free Syrian Army described them as Iranian Revolutionary Guards on a "reconnaissance mission."
Activists say dozens of people were killed in anti-government-related unrest across Syria on Tuesday.
Riyad Hijab is sworn in as new Prime Minister by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) in Damascus in this handout photo distributed by Syrian News Agency, June 26, 2012
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says it is time for world powers to begin planning for what will happen after Mr. Assad's regime falls. She commented during a Tuesday appearance with South Africa's foreign minister in Pretoria.
"The intensity of the fighting in Aleppo, the defections, really point out how imperative it is that we come together and work toward a good transition plan," said Clinton.
Clinton said she intended to discuss the issue with Turkish officials during her visit to Istanbul on Saturday.
Iran's foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, visited Turkey on Tuesday to discuss the Syrian crisis and the abducted Iranians with counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu. Salehi also has asked United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for help in securing the kidnapped Iranians' freedom.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that more than 1,300 Syrians had crossed the border into Turkey over the past day, raising the total number of Syrian refugees there to nearly 48,000.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Syrian Rebels, Assad Forces Clash in Aleppo
1/15A truck catches flames after it was hit by rockets fired by a Syrian Air Force fighter plane during an air strike in the village of Tel Rafat, some 37 km (23 miles) north of Aleppo, August 9, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
2/15A general view shows a street after clashes between Free Syrian Army fighters and forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad, in Salah Edinne district, in the center of Aleppo, August 9, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
3/15A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an anti-aircraft gun as a Syrian Air Force fighter bomber fires rockets during an air strike in the village of Tel Rafat, some 37 km (23 miles) north of Aleppo, August 9, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
4/15In this photo taken on guided government tour, Syrian army forces are seen at al-Sijen district, in the center of Aleppo, August 9, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
5/15A Syrian man reacts after the funeral of 29 year-old Free Syrian Army fighter, Husain Al-Ali, who was killed during clashes in Aleppo, in the cemetery in town of Marea on the outskirts of Aleppo city, August 9, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
6/15Men search for bodies under rubble of a house destroyed by a Syrian Air force air strike, in Tel Rafat, about 37 kilometers north of Aleppo, Syria, August 8, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
7/15In this citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network SNN, Syrians attend the funeral procession of a man killed in Idlib province, August 7, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
8/15A Free Syrian Army fighter runs after a Syrian Army tank shell exploded in the Salah al- Din neighbourhood of central Aleppo, August 5, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
9/15Free Syrian Army fighters fire their rifles during clashes with Syrian Army soldiers in the Salah al- Din neighbourhood of central Aleppo August 5, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
10/15Free Syrian Army fighter holds a RPG launcher during clashes with Syrian Army in the Salah al- Din neighbourhood of central Aleppo August 5, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
11/15This image map provides an overview of the activity seen in Aleppo from July 23, 2012 to August 1, 2012 (base image collected on July 29, 2012).
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
12/15More than 600 probable artillery impact craters, represented here with yellow dots, were identified in Anadan, in the vicinity of Aleppo.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
13/15In this August 5, 2012 photograph, Syrians pass by a destroyed house in town of Atareb outskirts of Aleppo, Syria.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
14/15Free Syrian Army fighter runs for cover during clashes with Syrian Army soldiers in the Salah al- Din neighborhood of central Aleppo August 5, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
15/15Syrian women mourn the loss of loved ones in Aleppo fighting, August 5, 2012.
The Syrian army continued its attacks on rebel positions in the northern city of Aleppo with heavy shelling and helicopter gunships.
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