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“Iran invited to Syria summit in Vienna with no preconditions”

Politics Materials 29 October 2015 13:24 (UTC +04:00)
No precondition is imposed on the invitation for the Islamic Republic to participate in Syria peace talks in Vienna, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani said.
“Iran invited to Syria summit in Vienna with no preconditions”

Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 29

By Umid Niayesh - Trend:

No precondition is imposed on the invitation for the Islamic Republic to participate in Syria peace talks in Vienna, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani said.

Shamkhani, who is in Pakistan for an official visit underlined that Iran's stance towards the Syria crisis remains the same as in the past, Fars news agency reported Oct. 29.

He made the remarks during a joint press conference with Sartaj Aziz, Pakistani prime minister's adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs in Islamabad.

Shamkhani expressed hope the Vienna summit would lead to a decision agreed with all parties.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will participate in the Syria summit to be held in Vienna, Austria, on Oct. 30.

Along with Zarif, deputy Foreign Ministers Abbas Araqchi, Majid Takht Ravanchi and Hossein Amir Abdollahian will also attend the one-day event.

Iran says it supports a political solution in Syria, but says President Bashar Assad should be part of the process. While opposition groups, and their regional backers including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, say Assad must leave power as a precondition for peace.

Tehran has always expressed support for the Assad government. The Islamic Republic views the Syrian regime as its main strategic ally in the region and as part of an "axis of resistance" against Israel.

Responding to a question about the possibility of Iran's cooperation with the US-led anti-IS (Islamic State) coalition, Shamkhani said that Tehran would not take part in "fake" anti-terror alignments.

Both Iran and Syrian government are excluded from the international anti-IS efforts in Syria.

Iranian officials have repeatedly criticized the US-led coalition airstrikes against the (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria, saying the IS not only would not be destroyed by the bombardments, but will be strengthened instead.

This is while Tehran supports Russia 's anti-IS airstrikes which began on Sept. 30 following Assad's request for military assistance.

Edited by CN

Follow the author on Twitter: @UmidNiayesh

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