Syria denies Bashar al-Assad comments reported by Russia news agency

What you need to know:

  • "What the Russian news agency Interfax has published as comments made by President Assad are inaccurate," said the Syrian presidency's press office

The office of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad denied comments attributed to him Sunday by a Russian news agency which quoted him as saying his departure is not up for discussion.

"What the Russian news agency Interfax has published as comments made by President Assad are inaccurate," said the Syrian presidency's press office.

The statement came after Interfax quoted Assad sounding a defiant note in a meeting with Russian parliamentarians in the Syrian capital Damascus.