Russia’s Mideast Envoy to Visit

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov will travel to Tehran soon to meet high-ranking Iranian officials on issues related to the crisis in Syria, Fars News Agency reported on Friday. Bogdanov, who is also the special presidential representative for the Middle East and Africa, had travelled to Tehran four months ago for talks on countering international terrorism and finding a lasting solution to the Syria crisis. In a telephone conversation in October, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari and Bogdanov underlined the need for resolving the Syrian issue through political means and sending humanitarian aid to civilians. Iran through advisory assistance and Russia by using its air power are backing the Syrian Army in its campaign against a wide array of militant groups fighting to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad.