Russian FM to visit Tehran for Syria talks

TEHRAN, June 12 (MNA) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Tehran on Wednesday to discuss Moscow's proposal for convening an international conference on Syria, Ria Novosti reported on Monday. “We proceed from the fact that Iran should be among its participants, along with countries neighboring with Syria and other states that have influence on Syrian sides,” the press office of the Russian Foreign Ministry said. “Without Iran’s participation, the possibilities of constructive international influence on Syria will not be used in full.” An informed source also confirmed to the Mehr News Agency that Lavrov’s talks with Iranian officials will mostly focus on the Syria crisis. At least 9,000 people have been killed in clashes between the government and opposition forces in Syria since the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad last year, according to UN estimates. UN special envoy Kofi Annan said on Thursday his six-point peace plan aimed at stopping the violence in Syria is "not being implemented." The presence of a group of UN observers also had little impact on the situation. The United States has rejected the idea of Iran’s participation in the Syrian crisis settlement. Moscow believes an international conference on Syria should be held under the aegis of the United Nations and should bring together the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Syria’s neighbors – Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey - and also Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Iraq, as well as the League of Arab States and the European Union. In the efforts to settle the Syrian crisis, “the most topical task that remains today is to assist the fulfillment of the plan proposed by UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan and approved by the UN Security Council and resolve problems impeding these efforts,” the press office said. Lavrov is also expected to hold talks with Iranian officials over the planned nuclear talks between Tehran and the major powers in Moscow on June 18-19.