Iran: Talks between Damascus, Opposition to Yield Positive Result


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Talks between the government of Syria and the real representatives of opposition groups can result in positive outcomes, an Iranian foreign ministry official said.

The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Middle Eastern Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian expressed Iran’s support for Russia's initiative to host a Syrian-Syrian dialogue.

The Iranian official at the same time stressed that these talks should be held in coordination with the democratically elected president of Syria and "should respect legal and international principles, including territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and unity of the Arab country."

Amir Abdollahian also hailed Russia’s positions on Syria, and said it is necessary to hold national reconciliation talks between the government and moderate opposition in Syria.

Russia has recently offered to host a new round of dialogue between the Syrian government and opposition parties in Moscow.

Syrian National Reconciliation Affairs Minister Ali Haidar said on Tuesday that the United States is not included as a mediator in the upcoming reconciliation talks in Moscow.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with ISIL Takfiri terrorists currently controlling parts of it, mostly in the east.

The US and its regional allies have been supporting the militants operating inside Syria for more than three years.