...

Iran says it will be ‘actively present’ in Syria talks

Politics Materials 7 November 2015 17:09 (UTC +04:00)
Iran’s attendance at the Vienna talks on Syria is by no means a sign that the Islamic Republic has backed down from its position on Syria
Iran says it will be ‘actively present’ in Syria talks

Tehran, Iran, November 7

By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:

Iran's attendance at the Vienna talks on Syria is by no means a sign that the Islamic Republic has backed down from its position on Syria, and Tehran is going to be actively present at the talks, Head of the Strategic Research Center of Iran's Expediency Council Aliakbar Velayati said.

"Our support for Syria comes in a number of fields, one of which is to back the Syrian people's resistance against terrorists and extremists," Velayati said, IRIB news agency reported November 7.

Pointing out that after five years of the continuing Syrian crisis, negotiating parties have admitted Iran to the talks, Velayati said, noting that Iran cannot leave the political arena.

The Iranian official asserted that it is the people of Syria who should have the final say on their fate.

"The current Syrian government has shown it is worthy enough to stand by its nation as their defender. If elections are held today, Assad would receive more votes than any other contender," Velayati stressed.

"Therefore, we are against any plan that would try to put aside the current Syrian government, which has defended the people's rights against terrorists for years," he added.

He also pointed to Russia's new approach to the Syrian crisis and said that it has broken the military deadlock, and will help break the political deadlock, as well.

Iran is providing military consultation to the Syrian Army in its fight against terrorist groups, maintaining that it would not engage in direct battle with various armed groups.

Following Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's request for military assistance, Moscow launched a series of airstrikes against armed opposition groups in Syria on Sept. 30.

Moscow has denied the claim by the West and some Arab states that the Russian airstrikes have targeted moderate oppositions groups, saying the airstrikes were aimed at ISIL positions.

Latest

Latest