The Syrians trust the role Iran plays in support of the people in the region and the just cause behind its efforts, President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday in a meeting with the visiting deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs.
Highlighting Iran’s willingness to help the Syrian people in their war against terrorism, Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, “Iran will spare no effort that could help re-establish stability in Syria and contribute to the campaign against terrorism at regional and international levels,” the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
To achieve the goals, said Amir Abdollahian, it is important that coordination and consultations with the Syrian government continue.
In the meeting, attended by Ambassador in Damascus Mohammad Reza Raouf Sheibani and some Syrian officials, the two sides exchanged views on potential threats jeopardizing regional states and the draft peace plan submitted to Assad by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during a visit to Damascus on August 12.
Hope for Peace
Earlier in a joint press conference with Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Moqdad, the deputy foreign minister said Iran was optimistic about the “success” of the peace plan, stressing that for any peace initiative to bear fruit, Assad needs to be part of the solution. He gave no further details.
Al-Mayadeen has reported Iran’s initiative includes a call for “an immediate ceasefire”, the formation of a “unity government” and “constitutional amendments.”
According to the Beirut-based television channel, it also stipulates that elections should be held in Syria and monitored by international observers. Iran has not confirmed such details. The UN Security Council adopted last month a new push for peace in Syria, which Iran welcomed and Russia, another ally of the Syrian government, endorsed. That peace push proposed by UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura is expected to be implemented later this month.
Amir Abdollahian said Assad and other Syrian officials are keen to discuss the Iranian initiative to help it produce the desired results, calling on the concerned states and the UN to consider such efforts to help find workable solutions to the crisis. He noted that his meeting with Assad was “a chance to listen to his views and valuable thoughts on effective political solutions for the crisis,” stressing that all these ideas will be taken into account in joint plans currently under discussion to find political ways out of the crisis.
On the UN envoy’s plan, Amir Abdollahian said while the plan includes “good points”, there are some Iranian criticisms, which de Mistura has promised to take into consideration and make the necessary modifications.
