Iran to participate in Geneva talks on Syria

EghtesadOnline: Iran intends to participate in the upcoming Geneva talks on the Syrian conflict, but has not decided on the level of participation yet, Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari has said.

News ID: ۷۳۹۴۴۰

27 January 2017

“We have not yet made a decision about the level at which we will participate [in Geneva], but of course we will participate in all international and other tracks that complement it and continue the assistance to the Syrian people and the termination of its current suffering,” Ansari was quoted by Sputnik Wednesday.

“We do not consider the Astana track or trilateral format Iran-Russian-Turkey as a substitute for other tracks or negotiations in Geneva or anywhere else in the world. We, the three countries are trying to complement the existing tracks and use our special advantages and opportunities to assist the Syrian people and put an end to its suffering,” ILNA quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, the latest round of peace talks which Russia, Iran and Turkey mediated came to an end on Tuesday, when the three countries issued a joint statement urging political resolution to the Syrian conflict. They agreed to set up a trilateral commission to implement and monitor the truce that began last month.

The statement was released after two days of talks between the Syrian government and the opposition forces in Kazakh capital of Astana.

According to the statement, the three sponsors of the talks agreed that there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict and it can only be resolved politically.