Masour Says All Countries Should Participate in Geneva II to Guarantee its Success
Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour stressed on Tuesday that Iran shouldn't be banned from taking part in this week's Syria peace conference as each country could play a role in making the talks succeed.
“Iran shouldn't be barred neither Saudi Arabia. Their presence is of significant importance,” Mansour told reporters at the airport ahead of traveling to Switzerland to attend Geneva II peace talks on Syria.
He pointed out that all countries play a important and delicate role concerning the peace conference as each country could positively contribute in it.
United Nations Chief Ban Ki-moon withdrew the invitation to Iran, the Damascus regime's main regional ally, less than 24 hours after it was issued despite reservations from the United States and Syrian opposition groups.
Iran refuses to consent to a transitional government in Syria, which was agreed in the first international gathering in June 2012 to end the deadly civil war.
Tehran is accused of providing military and financial support to Damascus.
It staunchly backs the government of embattled President Bashar Assad during the conflict that began in 2011 and is estimated to have killed more than 130,000 people.
Iranian participation in the peace talks has long been a thorny issue in preparations for the forum dubbed Geneva II and due to begin on Wednesday in the Swiss town of Montreux.
Russia, a Damascus ally and co-initiator of the talks, has urged that Iran be involved in the process.
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