Addressing a news conference on the sidelines UN General Assembly meeting in New York on Friday, Rouhani said as we believe in a political solution in Syria, so the opposition parties which are separate from terrorist groups should reach an agreement with Syrian government.
He said all countries should try to provide a safe atmosphere in Syria to hold a free and general election.
Asked about his meeting with UN Special Envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi and that Iran will take part in the upcoming Geneva talks unintentionally, Rouhni said that the two sides discussed the dangerous situation of Syria in their last meeting and underlined that the Syrians should decide their own fate at this very sensitive juncture.
He said Iran wants to "actively" take part in any new Syria peace conference.
"For Geneva or any other international gathering ... should Iran participate, it will actively accept that invitation and participate for the sake of the Syrian people," he added.
Referring to Iran nuclear activities, Rouhani said he wanted talks with P5+1 to yield results in a short period of time.
Rouhani said Iran would present its plan for a resolution of the nuclear issue at talks with P5+1, scheduled to be held in Geneva on Oct. 15 and 16.
"We say explicitly that we will be transparent; we say explicitly that we will not build a bomb," he said. "Through the P5+1 we want to provide even more assurances."
Rouhani said his government had a full mandate to handle the issue.
"I think that any result this government reaches, it will have the support of other powers in Iran," he said. "On the nuclear issue, the government has total discretion."
Rouhani said earlier this week he would like to see a deal with world powers in three to six months.
Iranian president also underlined a change in tone of the speech of US President Barack Obama.
“We should assess the tone of speech of some high-ranking European officials as well as a change in tone of speech of US President Barack Obama as a positive step for settlement of the issues between Iran and the West,” he added.
Asked by the Associated Press correspondent about what steps have been taken for holding a bilateral meeting between Iran and the US, the Iranian president responded, “The preliminary agenda has been prepared for a meeting between me and Obama,” adding that the American side had shown willingness and “we did not have any problem for the meeting, but there was not enough time in planning for such meeting and the two sides also realized that there was not enough time.”
“After 35 years of tension in Iran-US relations, the meeting at the level of the two countries’ presidents is accompanied with complexities. The two sides wanted to have an effective meeting and the atmosphere created now is totally different so that the Iranian nation’s voice in June 14 elections was the cause of such atmosphere,” Rohani noted.
The Iranian president pointed out that all the West’s high-ranking officials reiterated in the meeting that Iran’s election was a turning point to create a new atmosphere for establishment of better relations.
“The first step was taken in this visit and that was Iran-P5+1 meeting at ministerial level and we are confident with its outcome."
He also added that the steps should be taken in a calculated and precise manner as our goal is to reach the common interest of both parties and building a structure of confidence within mutual sides.
NJF/NJF