Talking about a meeting with the Iranian parliamentarians about the situation in Syria, held in Tehran on Monday morning, Abbas Araqchi said he has briefed the lawmakers on Iran’s diplomatic activities during the past recent days and the results.
Asked whether the Syrian opposition groups will be recognized or participate in the next meeting of the Astana Process, Araqchi said the format includes only Iran, Russia and Turkey and the Syrian government has never taken part in the process.
He noted that the continuation of the Astana Process in the future will depend on the developments in Syria and the decision of the three guarantor states.
Araqchi added that Arab countries have never been part of the Astana Process either.
After storming Damascus on December 8, the Syrian opposition fighters declared that they have toppled the government of President Bashar al-Assad, who has fled Syria to Moscow.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has reaffirmed Tehran’s policy of respecting Syria’s unity, territorial integrity and national sovereignty, stressing that only Syrians can decide the future of their country.