German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday branded the deadly suspected chemical attack in Syria a "war crime" and demanded Russia and Iran put pressure on their ally President Bashar al-Assad.
"Even if the investigations are not yet completed, it must be pointed out that the Assad regime has been held responsible for chemical weapons use in the past," said Merkel's spokeswoman, Ulrike Demmer.
Berlin said "Russia and Iran, as allies of the Assad regime, carry a responsibility" for the attack on Tuesday that killed scores of people in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.
Germany "again urges the Russian and Iranian governments to push ... the Assad regime toward an immediate halt of all military operations and to respect the agreed ceasefire", she said.
Berlin also said it expected that "Russia, in the UN Security Council and elsewhere, not interfere in the search for those responsible ... but actively support it".
Washington and London have pointed the finger at Assad while Syria's army "categorically" denied the claims, saying it had never used chemical weapons.
A foreign ministry spokesman added that it must be presumed Assad still has chemical weapons "which means the Syrian regime, in our view, lied to the international community".
