MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/. The UN mandate for the investigation of Syrian chemical attacks should be spread to Iraq, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said during a Moscow-New York teleconference bridge on Wednesday.

According to the diplomat, the intensity of the consideration of the Middle East problems, especially the situation in Syria, is not subsiding in the UN Security Council.

"On September 9 we traditionally considered the situation around the Syrian chemical warfare potential destruction," Churkin said. "Although there is not much to discuss there for the UN Security Council, because the work is nearing completion and the Syrian government constructively interacts with experts of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)."

"Based on the UN Secretary-General’s proposals we this month have finalized the sphere of competence of the joint mechanism for the investigation of incidents with chemical weapons use created in accordance with Resolution 2235 of the UN Security Council adopted in August," the diplomat said. "We have found a balanced approach, centred on full-fledged and respect-based interaction between the United Nations and the Syrian government."

"We are concerned over the numerous reports about the use of toxic agents as chemical weapons in Iraqi territory by militants of the Islamic State and other terrorist groups," the diplomat said. "We believe that the mandate of the joint mechanism for the investigation of incidents of chemical weapons use [in Syria] should also be spread to the territory of Iraq."