WASHINGTON, September 9 (Itar-Tass) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Charlie Rose, host of the program that bears his name on the United States PBS television channel, that he was preparing for a US strike, and that Syria and some of their allies would retaliate if one occurred.

Assad said the Syrian government was not the only player in this region, with numerous other parties and groups professing different ideologies. When asked whether chemical weapons could be used to retaliate a possible US strike, he said that everything would depend on whether rebels or terrorists had such weapons. He said he could not predict what might happen.

President Assad denied he had anything to do with the alleged chemical attack on August 21 which the US administration reports killed more than 1,400 Syrians.

The entire interview with President Assad will be aired on PBS later on Monday.