Syria says fight against Islamic State must include Damascus

Syria supports any efforts to combat Islamic State if they are coordinated with Damascus but anything else would "be a breach of Syrian sovereignty", state television quoted the country's foreign minister as saying on Wednesday.

Walid al-Moualem made the comments during a visit to top regional ally Tehran to meet with his Iranian counterpart, the TV channel said. 

The United States said earlier this week it had decided to allow airstrikes to defend Syrian rebels trained by the US military from any attackers, even if the enemies were the Syrian army and allied fighters.

"We are with any effort to fight Daesh as long as it is in coordination with the Syrian government otherwise it is an infringement on Syria's sovereignty," al-Moallem was quoted as saying by Syrian state TV.   

Syria's four-year conflict has killed more than 250,000 people.

Al-Moallem has been in Iran since Tuesday where he is believed to have been discussing an Iranian initiative to try to end Syria's four-year conflict that has killed more than 250,000 people.   

According to the Lebanon-based pro-Syrian Al-Mayadeen TV the four-point Iranian initiative calls for an immediate cease-fire, formation of a national unity government, amending the constitution in what reassures ethnic and religious minorities and holding elections under the supervision of international observers.  

Iran is Syria's strongest ally in the region and has backed Assad since the country's crisis began in March 2011.