Any effort to resolve Syria conflict should include Iran: Damascus

Damascus says any diplomatic effort to resolve the crisis in Syria would be in vain if it excludes the Arab country’s true friends, including Iran.

In an article published on Lebanese al-Binaa newspaper on Saturday, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad said that the upcoming UN-sponsored talks, which are due to be held in the Swiss city of Geneva, would fail to achieve the desired results without the active participation of “all regional and international sides.”

“Geneva process, initiated by Staffan de Mistura, the international Envoy to Syria, should engage all regional and international sides of good efforts and white hands towards the Syrian people,” Miqdad stated.

He stressed that the Geneva talks should follow the positive atmosphere of the latest round of talks between Damascus and opposition groups held in the Russian capital city of Moscow earlier in the month.

The Syrian official also said the issue of terrorism should top the agenda of the upcoming talks.

“Without a consensus on considering terrorism as the main danger that poses a threat to the Syrians, ... there won’t be opportunities for any political track,” he pointed out.

He described the Syrian army as "the backbone in the war against terrorism," adding that the war on terrorism should be the joint mission of all the participants in the talks.

Miqdad lashed out at the Western and regional powers backing Takfiri groups in Syria, adding that the supporters of terrorism sabotaged the previous rounds of UN-sponsored peace negotiations.

On Friday, the United Nations said it will host separate talks with warring sides in Syria next month in a bid to put an end to more than four years of conflict in the Arab country.

UN spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi, told journalists that invitations had been sent out to all parties who could help end the crisis, including different Syrian factions as well as regional and international players.

He said Iran, which was absent in Western-backed Geneva I and Geneva II peace conferences, has been also invited to the talks as well.

According to Fawzi, the talks led by UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura will kick off in the Swiss city of Geneva on May 4 and will last from four to six weeks.

Stressing that terrorist groups such as ISIL and al-Nusra will not be taking part in the talks, he added that there will be "those who have relationships with them and, those who can communicate with them."

Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The violence fueled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 222,000 people, according to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

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