Iran, Iraq join Syria in warning rebel advance threatens whole region

Iran's Abbas Araghchi pledged to provide Assad's government with "whatever (support) is needed" to tackle the rebel advance.

Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region

Iraq's Fuad Hussein said security forces were "on high alert".(AFP)

"Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ministers.

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"There is no alternative to coordination, cooperation and diplomatic consultation" if the "risks of escalation" are to be avoided, the ministers said.

They underlined the "need for Arab, regional and international action to bring about peaceful resolutions to the challenges facing Syria and the region."

Earlier, Iran's Abbas Araghchi pledged to provide Assad's government with "whatever (support) is needed" to tackle the rebel advance.

Iraq's Fuad Hussein said security forces were "on high alert".

Friday's meeting in Baghdad came ahead of talks in Doha this weekend that will see Damascus allies Moscow and Tehran sit down with opposition-supporting Ankara.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped the rebel advance would go off "without incident".