The Arab League has called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria , and said people's right to political and social reforms should be respected. In an emergency meeting in Cairo that ended early today, the Arab League said it is sending its secretary-general, Nabil Elaraby, to Damascus to seek a solution. The group expressed grave concern about the violence in Syria that has left thousands of casualties. The Arab League's statement comes a day after Syria 's closest ally, Iran , called on the government in Damascus to listen to the people's legitimate demands. The comments by Iran 's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi were the first such remarks from Iran since the five-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began. Salehi warned of dangerous regional implications if the crisis in Syria was not solved peacefully. He said a power vacuum in Syria would have unprecedented repercussions' among its neighbours.