Iranian Diplomat, UN Envoy Discuss Latest Developments in Syria

Senior Assistant to the Iranian Foreign Minister and senior negotiator in Astana talks Hossein Jaberi Ansari and UN's Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in a meeting in Tehran discussed the latest developments in Syria.

News ID: 70659

Date: 11 June 2018 - 16:10

TEHRAN (Defapress)- Jaberi Ansari and de Mistura exchanged views on developments taking place in the Arab country.

"In the meeting with De Mistura we discussed new round of consultations within the framework of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, which is to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 18-19, 2018 with participation of senior officials of three guarantor countries in Astana as well as UN Special Envoy for Syria," Ansari said.

The senior diplomat reiterated that De Mistura welcomed Iran's proposals and offered his viewpoints and underlined the need for continuation of consultations between the three guarantor states, the Syrian government and opposition as well as the UN to form and activate Syrian Constitutional Committee.

Jaberi Ansari and de Mistura also talked about special working group which is to be held in Ankara at the presence of representatives of three guarantor states in Astana and the UN as well as representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

In relevant remarks in late May, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed media reports claiming that Tehran has been requested to pull out its military advisors from Syria, stressing that his country is fighting against terrorist groups which endanger the international security.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is playing an advisory role in Iraq and Syria and any other place at the invitation of these countries and with the aim of campaign against terrorism," Zarif told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Tehran.

He described Iran as a country which is fighting against terrorism and has sustained damage and tolls in this way, noting, "We will continue our assistance as long as these countries' governments are interested."

"We believe that this assistance is in the interest of the whole world because the terrorist groups that we are fighting threaten security of the entire world," Zarif said.

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