Syrian rebels reject Russia's proposal for safe zones

Syria's armed opposition on Thursday rejected a Russian plan to create safe zones in Syria, calling it a threat to the country's territorial integrity, and said it would also not recognize Iran as a guarantor of any ceasefire plan.Turkey, which supports Syrian rebels, and Iran, which backs Syrian President Bashar Assad, agreed earlier in the day toRussia's proposal for "de-escalation zones" in Syria, a move welcomed by the United Nations but met with scepticism from the United States.