Assad says chemical weapons claims 'insult to common sense'

MOSCOW: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Western claims his regime used chemical weapons were an "insult to common sense" and warned the United States it faced failure if it attacked Syria, in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia published on Monday.

"The comments (accusing the regime of using chemical weapons) made by politicians in the West and other countries are an insult to common sense... It is nonsense," Assad said.

He added: "The United States faces failure (if it attacks Syria), just like in all the previous wars they waged, starting with Vietnam and up to our days."