Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is no fan of the new US airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, according to reporters who have recently spoken with him.
The US has reportedly asked Iran to join the operations against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Iran currently has military advisers on the ground in both Iraq and Syria.
MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell tweeted Tuesday morning that Rouhani told her the strikes were "illegal."
.@HassanRouhani tells me U.S bombardment in Syria illegal because not authorized by UN or invited by Syria government unlike fight in Iraq
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) September 23, 2014Similarly, The Nation publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel wrote on Twitter that she was among a group of reporters who attended a meeting with Rouhani, where the Iranian dictator expressed disappointment in the airstrikes. The strikes in Syria attack against ISIS were launched by the US on Monday night.
At journalists' meeting with Iranian President Rouhani: US military strikes are illegal. No plans for meeting with President Obama.
— Katrina vandenHeuvel (@KatrinaNation) September 23, 2014Rouhani is visiting New York for the UN General Assembly.