Ibrahimi in Iraq, Seeks Ceasefire in Syria for Holiday

Local Editor

International envoy to Syria al-Akhdar Ibrahimi has asked Iranian authorities for help in achieving a ceasefire in Syria during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha later this month.

According to the United Nations statement issued after Ibrahimi held talks with officials in Tehran, the international envoy underlined that "the crisis in Syria was getting worse every day and stressed the urgent need to stop the bloodshed."
Meanwhile, Ibrahimi headed to Baghdad on Monday, where he  held talks with the Iraqi officials over the Syrian crisis.
The veteran troubleshooter is currently on a regional tour aimed at finding a solution to the 19-month conflict in Syria.
Earlier, Iran announced its seek to a political solution to the conflict and reiterated support for the envoy's mediation efforts.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi handed visiting Ibrahimi a proposal aimed at ending the conflict in key regional ally Syria.
Salehi said Tehran had "handed its unofficial detailed proposal in writing aimed at solving the Syrian crisis" to Ibrahimi as well as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Ibrahimi, who arrived in Tehran from Turkey after meeting with Saudi officials, welcomed the Iranian initiative.

"I thank you for the proposals and as I told you there are some ideas in your proposals which can help by adding to that forwarded by other nations who are also important with regards to the Syrian situation," Ibrahimi said in a joint press briefing.
"We hope all these ideas gather into a project to put an end to the Syrian people's nightmare."

"I am repeating the call by the United Nations secretary general (Ban Ki-moon) for the initiation of a ceasefire by the Syrian government and asking the opposition to reciprocate once the government commenced," he added.
Ibrahimi later on Sunday met with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in talks during which the Iranian leader repeated his government's offer of help in solving the Syrian crisis.
Iran "is ready to cooperate and help in order for the Syrian people to live in calmness and security," reported the presidency website, president.ir.
"Fighting in Syria means the spread of insecurity in the whole region and efforts exerted to break up Syria will lead to decades of insecurity in the region due to the country's ethnic structure," Ahmadinejad told the veteran Algerian diplomat.

Moreover, the Iranian President highlighted that "the solution to improve the Syrian situation is for all parties to reach this conclusion that with calmness and security, the Syrian issue can be solved."
"No one should seek to impose his opinion on others and the Syrian people in completely free elections should say their views and everyone should respect the Syrian people's choice," he added.


Source: News agencies, Edited by moqawama.org