Syria’s Assad: ‘External Conspiracy is Clear to Everybody’

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed a foreign conspiracy for trying to destabilize Syria, as a mass uprising against his rule continues.

The “external conspiracy is clear to everybody,” Assad said in his first public remarks in months.

He said elections could be held later this year but “terrorism”, he added, would be met with an “iron fist”.

Meanwhile the Arab League said it held the government “totally responsible” for attacks against its observers.

The BBC’s Lina Sinjab is in Damascus.