Iran and Syria meet in Moscow to discuss crisis

The foreign ministers of Iran and Syria have met in Moscow for discussions about the Syrian conflict ahead of the upcoming Geneva II Conference. Iran’s Mohammad Javad Zarif and Syria’s Waleed Al-Mu’alem talked about their plans to reach a political solution to the armed struggle between the Assad regime and the Syrian opposition coalition. Before heading to Russia, Zarif met President Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus.

The ministers are due to meet their Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. The Iranian minister is also scheduled to meet Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

“The Russian and Iranian positions towards the Syrian issue are very close,” said a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, “especially regarding the need to find a peaceful solution.”

The meeting comes less than one week before the Geneva II Conference is due to begin next Wednesday. Representatives of the Syrian regime and opposition are planning to participate in the international conference, which is hoping to find a solution for the struggle which is responsible for more than 130,000 deaths over the past three years.

Source: Al Quds