Iran vows to protect civilians in Syria's Idlib province

Iran said Monday it is committed to protecting civilians if its Syrian regime ally launches a full-scale offensive on the country's last rebel stronghold of Idlib province. "The humanitarian issue is of significant importance to us," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told journalists in Tehran. Tehran is a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's seven-year conflict, and has said it is ready to support an assault by regime forces on the rebel-held province.