International Friends of Syria Conference Kicks Off: Tehran

Local Editor

Iran kicks off Friends of Syria Conference in its capital Tehran with the participation of representatives from 40 countries.

The event, which is held under the banner of "Political Solution, Regional Stability," seeks to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

According to reports, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci, Oman's Deputy Foreign Minister Youssef Al-Harthi, Former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Minister for Defense and National Service of Tanzania Shamsi Vuai Nahodha are among the officials attending the event.

"Representatives of Russia and China will be present in the meeting and Tehran has invited different states, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which hold different positions [from that of Iran on Syria] to attend the conference," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussein Amir Abdollahian stated on Sunday.

Moreover, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday, "The main goal of the meeting is helping the idea of finding a political solution to [the crisis in] Syria."

"All countries as well as all regional and international organizations which can help to this solution have been invited to the conference," he added.

For his part, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, stressed that his country's position on Syria is clear that it rejects foreign interference in its affairs.

"Iran believes that foreign interference doesn't serve solving the crisis in Syria but would rather complicate the situation there," said Salehi during a meeting with former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud who had earlier arrived Iran to participate in the Friends of Syria meeting.

Source: News Agencies, edited by website team