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.\n<\/p>\n
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.\n<\/p>\n
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.\n<\/p>\n
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.\n<\/p>\n
Nesirky further noted that the Geneva 2 conference is to take place without any preconditions.\n<\/p>\n
Iran has said that it would attend the Geneva conference if invited without any preconditions.\n<\/p>\n
Russia and China have also urged the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Geneva 2 conference.\n<\/p>\n
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.\n<\/p>\n
According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence.\n<\/p>\n
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