FM: Iran's Meeting On Syria, Successful

Tehran, Aug 11, IRNA – Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that the consultative meeting on Syria held in Tehran was successful. Salehi made the remarks to correspondents at the end of the meeting on Syria on Thursday. Salehi noted that countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America attended the conference. Participation of over 30 countries at the conference shows its success and it is hoped that more countries, whose policies correspond and are in line with Iran’s diplomacy, attend similar conferences in the future, the foreign minister added. Asked about holding a meeting between the Syrian government and that country’s opposition forces in Tehran, Salehi pointed out that Islamic Republic of Iran had previously announced its readiness for holding a meeting between the Syrian government and opposition and that Tehran has constantly contacted the Syrian government in this regard. Recalling the appointment of Ali Haidar as Syria’s Minister of State for National Reconciliation Affairs, Salehi said that Haidar will soon be visiting Iran. “It is for about one year that we are in contact with Syrian opposition forces. There are both Syrian opposition forces inside and outside Syria,” Salehi added. He said that Iranian Foreign Ministry is in contact with many Syrian opposition groups, but not with all of them. In response to a question on the fate of 48 Iranian pilgrims kidnapped in Syria and the efforts made to secure their release, Salehi said that during his recent visit to Turkey he had discussed the issue with Turkish officials due to the fact that they had greatly contributed to securing the release of 22 Iranian pilgrims, five Iranian engineers and two other Iranian nationals also abducted in Syria. Referring to his telephone conversations with Turkish and Qatari foreign ministers on securing the release of Iranian citizens, Salehi said: “we asked those countries to do their best for releasing the Iranian nationals. We are also making other efforts as well.” Salehi once again voiced the Islamic Republic’s readiness to help resolve the Syrian crisis./end