Iran Says Talks on Syria 'Unsuccessful'
Iran on Sunday said weekend talks held between major powers seeking a solution to the conflict in Syria were "unsuccessful" because it and Syria were excluded.
"This meeting was unsuccessful... because Syria was not present and some influential nations were not present," Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdolahian told state television.
Abdolahian highlighted the "tension between the United States and Russia in the talks," which were held Saturday in Geneva.
"Any kind of decision-making for Syria from outside is surely not effective," he added.
The meeting agreed a transition plan for Syria whose language skirted around the issue dividing Western powers on one side and Russia and China on the other: whether or not Syrian President Bashar Assad should have a role in a new unity government.
Russia and China say it is up to the Syrian people to decide Assad's fate. The two countries have blocked action in the U.N. Security Council against Assad's government.
But the United States insists Assad should go as part of a solution to the vicious internal conflict that has cost nearly 16,000 lives since it erupted in March 2011.
Washington also objected to Iran taking part in the Geneva meeting, resulting in it being excluded.
Iran is Assad's chief regional ally, supplying him with humanitarian and financial aid.
Some Iranian and U.S. reports also said Iranian military personnel were in Syria helping in the crackdown against opposition groups, though Tehran officially denies that.
Source: Agence France Presse
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