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Iran urges exclusion of Saudi Arabia from Syria peace talks

Xinhua, December 28, 2016 Adjust font size:

Iran's defense minister said Wednesday that Saudi Arabia should not be part of Syria peace talks, Tasnim news agency reported.

"They (Saudi Arabia) are seeking to topple the existing regime in Syria. No talks should be allowed with those who are eager to do it. We must give them a decisive answer," Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan was quoted as saying.

Dehqan also said the western coalition has no real intention to fight terrorists either in Syria or in Iraq.

"We don't see any readiness on their part to play a truly useful and meaningful role in fighting Daesh (IS militants), because it's them who have raised terrorists and they are interested in keeping them there," Dehqan was quoted as saying.

"Maybe the coalition forces would like to see terrorists weakened, but certainly not destroyed, because those terrorists are their tool for destabilizing this region and some other parts of the world," he added.

Russia, Turkey and Iran are in talks to resume peace talks between the Syrian government and the opposition in Kazakhstan. Russia has proposed Saudi Arabia to join the negotiations. Endit