A high-ranking official at the United Nations says the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN-Arab League Special Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi both support Iran™s presence in the forthcoming Geneva 2 conference on the ongoing crisis in Syria.
œThe Secretary-General and Mr. Brahimi had made clear their views on the attendance by other relevant countries at the conference,” UN spokesman, Martin Nesirky, said in a press conference on Wednesday in response to a question about Iran™s participation in the peace talks on Syria.
On September 29, Brahimi stated that it would be beneficial if Iran takes part in the Geneva 2 conference and there is the possibility of inviting the Islamic Republic.
In a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York on October 2, Ban also underscored Tehran™s decisive role in the settlement of the crisis in Syria, stressing the need for Iran™s presence in any international talks on Syria.
Nesirky further noted that the Geneva 2 conference is to take place without any preconditions.
Iran has said that it would attend the Geneva conference if invited without any preconditions.
Russia and China have also urged the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Geneva 2 conference.
Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. Reports indicate that the Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside the country.
According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence.
MP/HMV/SS
Copyright: Press TV