Off the wire
Recent int'l support signals world rejection of Israeli policies: Palestinian presidency  • Yearender-Xinhua Insight: Six key areas to watch on China's economy 2017  • Yearender: Nigeria makes considerable gains on Boko Haram front in 2016  • Yearender: Security situation improves in Pakistan as terrorist attacks drop sharply in 2016  • Algeria hails Syria's cease-fire deal  • Will the top seed be crowned again at Shenzhen Open  • Pakistan sends 66 Indian fishermen to jail: official  • East China seizes giant beetles in mail  • Singapore's economy to grow by over 1 percent in 2016: PM  • UAE steps up security for fireworks night  
You are here:   Home

Iran's IRGC says no role for Saudi Arabia, Qatar in Syria peace talks

Xinhua, December 31, 2016 Adjust font size:

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced Saturday that Saudi Arabia and Qatar cannot play any role in the imminent Syria peace talks, Tasnim news agency reported.

In an interview with Tasnim on Saturday, the spokesman for IRGC Ramezan Sharif ruled out the possibility that Syrians would allow Saudi Arabia and Qatar to participate in the upcoming talks for peace in Syria.

Saudi and Qatari regimes have been spearheading logistical, financial and media supports for the terrorist groups that have been wreaking havoc on Syria for six years, Sharif was quoted as saying.

However, Turkey can begin to play a positive role by reviewing its previous policies and respecting Syria's legitimate government, and abandon the policy of disintegration of Syria.

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

"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 by Tasnim.

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

"It's them (western coalition) who have raised terrorists and they are interested in keeping them there," Dehqan said.

"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