Araqchi: Armed Groups in Syria Should Lay down Weapons, Engage Themselves in Dialogue

TEHRAN, (ST) – Iran has reiterated its support for attaining political solution to the crisis in Syria through national dialogue.

“Dialogue should be held between the Syrian government and the opposition,” Spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Abbas Araqchi said in a press conference on Tuesday, stressing the need to differentiate between national opposition and takfiri groups.

Araqchi pointed out that there are serious differences between the parties which are scheduled to take part in the international conference on Syria due to be held in Geneva.

He affirmed that “if Iran participates in this conference its role will be constructive, positive and effective.”

“Any solution to the crisis in Syria should be comprehensive and must involves all the parties influential at the Syrian arena,” he said.

Araqchi added that the armed groups must lay down their weapons and engage themselves in dialogue with the Syrian government, pointing out that gunmen in Syria have showed no cooperation in this respect. They didn’t even cease the fire in the holy month of Ramadan. They,  instead, continued to commit criminal acts against the Syrian people, Araqchi stressed.

On Iran’s foreign relations, Araqchi said “Iran has repeatedly stressed its readiness to hold dialogue with all countries except the Zionist entity,” noting that the United States have to reconsider the way it talks to or deal with Iran.

H. Mustafa