Solution to Syria crisis solely political: Iran
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussein Amir-Abdollahian has reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s insistence on the resolution of the crisis in Syria through political means.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the way to resolve the issue of Syria is solely political,” said Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday. He also said that those who attempt to include terrorists in the upcoming talks on the crisis in Syria are “getting it wrong.”
The Iranian diplomat stressed that no foreign entity should impose its will on the Syrian nation and noted that the parties that set preconditions for the upcoming talks on Syria do not have a realistic understanding of the realities on the ground.
UN-Arab League Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said on Friday that Iran’s participation at the upcoming conference on Syria, slated for January 22 in the Swiss city of Montreux, has not been decided upon yet due to US opposition.
However, he said, the United Nations and the Arab League would like Iranian representatives to attend the event.
According to the UN envoy, about 30 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Brazil, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, would be invited to the day-long conference.
The foreign-backed Syria opposition has also opposed Iran’s participation in the long-awaited conference.
However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov on Friday stressed that Iran should be invited to the upcoming international talks, emphasizing that the Syria crisis could not be settled without Iranian engagement.
Syria has been gripped by a deadly crisis since 2011. Reports indicate that the Western powers and their regional allies, especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are supporting the militants operating inside the country.
According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence.
Source: presstv.com
