Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior foreign policy advisor to the
Leader, said on Tuesday that Astana talks show that all sides have acknowledged
the legitimacy of the Syrian government.
The talks between the Syria government and some armed opposition groups in
Astana, Kazakhstan, started on Monday and lasted until Tuesday. The talks were
brokered by Iran, Russia and China.
The meeting followed a meeting in Moscow on Dec. 20 according to which the three
countries of Iran, Russia and Turkey issued a declaration to silence the guns in
Syria and bring the warring sides to the negotiating table.
Talking to reporters after a meeting with a number of Iraqi Yazidis in Tehran,
Velayati said it is not "logical” to expect that all the differences be bridged
with holding this meeting.
However, he expressed hope that the Astana meeting would result in continuation
of ceasefire in the country.
The fact that the Syrian government and the opposition groups accepted a
ceasefire was a "useful” step, the veteran politician noted.
Velayati said that such meetings should be held in future.
On why Iran opposed the participation of the U.S. in the Astana talks, he said
it is because the U.S. has been supporting terrorism in Syria.
‘Mosul will be liberated like Aleppo’
During his meeting with the Iraqi Yazidis, Velayati said Daesh will lose its
last base in Iraq when Mosul is liberated.
Mosul in Iraq is like Aleppo in Syria which was liberated in Dec. 2016, he
added.
Velayati also praised Yazidis’ efforts in fighting terrorism.
Elsewhere, he said that Iran supports maintaining Iraq’s territorial integrity.
He said failure of the terrorists in Iraq is definite
source: Tehran times