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Iran warns against Syria talks violating Vienna agreement

Thursday, 03 December 2015 9:52 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 03 December 2015 3:59 PM ]

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

A senior Iranian official has warned against any meetings outside the provisions of the recent agreement reached in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on the crisis in Syria.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday night that any "sideline talks" on the Syrian crisis in Saudi Arabia or Jordan constitute a violation of the Vienna agreement.

He further noted that such moves will only derail the political attempts meant to solve the Syrian conflict.

Amir-Abdollahian also stressed the need to abstain from hasty measures on Syria, stating that Vienna negotiations present an opportunity to combat terrorism and pursue a political process for the Syrian crisis. He said some parties are trying to undermine this diplomatic endeavor through actions not included in Vienna accord.

The Iranian official further pointed out that the fate of Syria should be decided by Syrians themselves, adding that the fight against terrorism needs a strong resolve on the part of all world states.

Diplomats and representatives from various countries and international bodies meet in a round of talks on the Syria conflict at a hotel in Vienna, Austria, on November 14, 2015. (© AFP)

The remarks come as Saudi Arabia has issued invitations to 65 Syrian opposition figures to attend a conference in Riyadh next week. No date has yet been set for the Riyadh meeting, but unnamed sources say it could take place next week. The so-called Syrian National Coalition has reportedly accepted an invitation to join the talks.

The second round of the talks on Syria was held in Vienna, Austria, on November 14. Around 20 countries and international bodies were in attendance at the Syria talks. During the previous round of the talks on October 30, the participants, including the United States, Russia and Iran, agreed to push forward a peace plan for Syria that would include a ceasefire.

The Syrian conflict, which started in March 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and left over one million injured, according to the UN.

The world body says 12.2 million people, including more than 5.6 million children, remain in need of humanitarian assistance. The foreign-sponsored militancy has also displaced 7.6 million people.

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