UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday that Syria and Iran should work with the international community in resolving the Iraqi issue.

    "I have been quite clear that the two countries have a role to play, and they should become part of the solution," Annan told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. "We should bring them in and get them to work with us in resolving the issue, and let them assume some of the responsibility."

    He admitted that is one of "quite a few" recommendations to the Iraq Study Group, an independent U.S. panel which is preparing new policy options on Iraq for the Bush administration in order to help restore peace and security in that sectarian-conflict-stricken country and enable the United States to reduce its 141,000 troops there.

    The UN chief spoke to the Iraq Study Group Monday afternoon through teleconference. However, he said they did not get into details about UN role as a security bridge if there is a withdrawal or a partial withdrawal of U.S. troops.

    "The UN has played a role in the past -- in the elections, the referendum, the constitutional review, and reconciliation efforts," he said. "We can play a role, but of course the security is a major constraint. The security in Iraq today is a major constraint."

    "If one were to work out an arrangement where one can get all the Iraqi political parties together, somewhere outside Iraq as we did in Afghanistan, the UN can play the role it normally plays," he added.

    Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday that the role of the United Nations in Iraq is clearly defined by the Security Council.

    Any change would have to be decided upon by the Security Council, Dujarric told reporters.

    Annan said Monday hours before the scheduled teleconference that "given the developments on the ground, unless something is done drastically and urgently to arrest the deteriorating situation, we could be there."

    "In fact, we are almost there," he added.