Iran confirms participation in Astana peace talks

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Iranian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari will participate in the Syrian peace talks scheduled to take place in Astana on January 23, Kazinform has learnt from the Iranian Foreign Ministry's press service.

The ministry stated that Iran as one of the initiators of the peace conference in Astana sees it as an opportunity to establish a dialogue between the government and the Syrian opposition that will end the war and humanitarian crisis in the country and help achieve stability and peace in the region.

"The Astana talks will be held in accordance with the agreements reached by the presidents of Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran and Turkey. The preparations for the talks were discussed at the trilateral ministerial meeting of Iran, Russia and Turkey in Moscow on December 20 and at the trilateral meeting of deputy FMs in Moscow on January 14," the ministry added.

It should be noted that Deputy Foreign Minister Ansari held talks with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Bogdanov, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad ahead of the Astana peace talks.