Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 14
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has left Tehran for Vienna to attend a new round of Syrian peace talks, the Iranian YJC reported Nov. 14.
Earlier, Iranian officials announced that Zarif would not attend the upcoming talks, as the Iranians were pessimistic about the anticipated outcome of the talks. However, deputy foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is now expected to participate in the talks.
It appears Zarif decided to attend the talks following last night's deadly attacks in Paris.
Some 17 countries, including President Bashar al-Assad's key allies and opponents, are set to open a new round of peace talks on Nov. 14, in a bid to end the Syrian crisis.
Zarif had earlier said that identifying the terrorist groups operating in Syria would be on the agenda of the meeting.
The first round of talks, held in Vienna on Oct. 30, failed to reach agreement on Assad's future, as Tehran expressed support for President Assad's government, while rival Saudi Arabia demanded Assad leave the country.
At least 120 people were killed following a series of terrorist attacks in Paris Nov. 13.
Gunmen and suicide bombers attacked restaurants, a concert hall and a sports stadium at locations across Paris during a deadly rampage, which President Francois Hollande called an unprecedented terrorist attack.
Four gunmen systematically slaughtered at least 87 young people attending a rock concert at the Bataclan music hall. Some 40 more people were killed in five other attacks in the Paris region, including an apparent double suicide bombing outside the national stadium, where French president Hollande and German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier were watching a friendly soccer international.
Some 200 people were injured.