Ahmadinejad says war not solution in Syria

"War is not the solution...A government that rules through war - its work will be very difficult. A sectarian war should not be launched in Syria," he told Al Mayadeen television.

"We believe that (deciding) whoever stays or goes is the right of the Syrian people. How can we interfere in that? We must strive to achieve national understanding, and free elections."

(Reporting by Mariam Karouny and Zahra Hosseinian; Editing by Angus MacSwan)