Deputy FM Renews Iran’s Continued Support for Syrian Nation

“The Syrian people are the real owners of that country and no one but the Syrian nationals can decide the country’s future,” Hossein Amir Abdollahian said in a meeting with a group of Syrian political and social activists here in Tehran.

Referring to the terrorist crimes committed by foreign-backed Takfiri (extremist) groups in Syria, the Iranian diplomat emphasized that Iran will support the Syrian people and the country's leadership.

Amir Abdollahian said that the Syrian nation has tolerated most severe conditions in the course of the past three years, emphasizing that the upcoming Geneva II conference is, in fact, a confession by enemies of the Syrian nation to their failure.

The Syrian activists in the meeting, too, for their part thanked the logical stance adopted by the Islamic Republic of Iran in support of the Syrian people and government despite the existing harsh conditions.

Meantime, the so called 'Friends of Syria', an alliance of countries who support the Syrian opposition, said on Sunday that the only way for a political solution to end the Syrian crisis is for peace talks in Geneva to take place.

"There is no other political solution," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said speaking on behalf of the group on Sunday.

"There will be no political solution for Syria unless Geneva 2 meets."

An international meeting bringing Syrian government and opposition groups to the table is set to be held from January 22 in Switzerland.

The main opposition bloc, the National Coalition, is under intense pressure to confirm its participation and has said it will decide on the issue on January 17.

"We urge the National Coalition to respond positively to the invitation to set up the Syrian opposition delegation sent by the UN Secretary General," the 11-nation Friends of Syria group said in a joint statement.

"We invite them to form, as soon as possible, a delegation of opposition forces to participate in the political process."