Iran Backs Any Political Decision By Syrians: FM Spokesman

Tehran, June 12, IRNA – Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that Iran supports measures taken by the Syrian government and any political decisions by the Syrians. Speaking during his weekly press conference, Araqchi said that negotiations among Russia, the US and the UN special envoy on Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi are underway about holding a peace conference on Syria in Geneva in coming days, adding that the success of Geneva conference depends on the presence of all influential countries in the conference. On Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahianˈs yesterday visit to Russia, he said that the visit is aimed at discussing ways to put an end to Syrian crisis. Asked to comment on the current unrest in Turkey and the alleged arrest of three Iranian nationals in the protests in Istanbul, he underlined that Iran is closely monitoring Turkish developments while it views the events as an internal affair of the country. He expressed hope that the Turkish government can successfully leave behind the problems. He demanded access to those Iranians who, as the Turkish Interior minister claimed, have been arrested in the protests to see whether they are really Iranian and if so what their motive was. However, he underlined that even the Iranian nationality of these people cannot be interpreted as Iranˈs intervention in the protests. On Egyptian National Frontˈs call for the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi and for protest rallies by Egyptians, he said that Iran does not interfere in Egyptˈs internal affairs. Egypt has got rid of dictatorship after tens of years and is exercising democracy, he said. ˈWe support national unity in Egypt,ˈ he said./end