Merkel welcomes Rohani's proposal on mediation in Syria

German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed here today the proposal by the new Iranian president Hassan Rohani to mediate between warring parties in Syria, her official spokesman Stephen Zeibert said. "We welcome all proposals aimed at putting pressure on the Syrian regime regardless of the source of these proposals," said Merkel, according to Zeibert. Merkel - who is running for a new term in the German federal elections on Sunday - commended the Iranian president's recent pronouncements on the Syrian crisis but demanded that they be translated into actions on the ground, saying "The policy of moderation pursued by the Iranian president should cast a positive shadow on international efforts to settle various crises around the world." Zeibert welcomed moreover the release of a number of political detainees in Iran, attributing to Merkel as saying "This positive step is seen by the German government as one that should be followed by similar ones as there are many detainees in Iranian jails suffering because of their political persuasions." The proposal by the Iranian president to mediate in the Syrian crisis was promulgated by him through an article he posted in the US newspaper The Washington Post