Syria’s foreign minister has warned the U.S. not to conduct airstrikes inside Syria against the Islamic State group without Damascus’ consent.

Walid al-Moallem says such an act “by anyone,” without the approval from President Bashar Assad’s government, would be a violation of Syrian sovereignty and would be considered an aggression.

But the top Syrian diplomat also said on Monday that Syria is ready to work with regional states and the international community in the war on terror amid the onslaught of Islamic militants.

Al-Moallem’s remarks at a press conference in Damascus marked the first public comments by a senior Assad official on the threat posed by the Islamic State, which has captured large swaths of Iraqi and Syrian territory.

Al-Moallem denounced the Islamic State’s killing of U.S. journalist James Foley.

(AP)