Iran's Ambassador to Moscow Mehdi Sanaei exchanged views on the latest developments in Syria with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on Friday.

The two officials also underlined the importance of a national dialog between the Syrian government and opposition groups, emphasizing that such diplomatic approaches are the only solution to the Syria crisis.

Syria has been plagued by relentless militancy since March 2011. Damascus says the West and its regional allies have been fuelling violence in Syria by providing militants with money and weapons.

Earlier in the month, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the total deaths resulting from the ongoing crisis in Syria amounted to 150,344 people.

The London-based pro-opposition group said there were 51,212 civilians, including 7,985 children, among the dead.

The UN also says more than four million Syrians will be forced out of their homes in 2014 due to the escalating conflict in the country.

Two million Syrians are expected to take refuge outside the country while another 2.25 million are predicted to be internally displaced this year.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed that his country would strike terrorists “with an iron fist.” He has also pledged that Syria will emerge “victorious” and “more powerful” from the foreign-backed crisis.

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