TEHRAN,(ST)_  Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi,  announced his country's readiness to participate the international conference on Syria proposed by  Russia and the USA, considering the  said conference as conducive to the launch of dialogue between the government and the opposition in Syria.

"We have not yet received an invitation, but will certainly attend and can launch negotiations between the government and the opposition in Syria." Salehi said  in an interview with the German weekly Der Spiegel , of which Iranian  media published excerpts on Sunday.

Salehi expressed his country's principled position in opposing the use of weapons of mass destruction in any country, noting  " Tehran categorically opposes the use of any type of weapons of mass destruction."

On the other hand ,Salehi expressed confidence to achieve substantial progress on Iran 's negotiations on the peaceful nuclear program, pointing out that the next president who will succeed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad following the presidential election on June 14 will assume the subject in a new momentum.

On Sunday, Salehi went to Jeddah to participate in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation OIC , convened to discuss the crisis in Mali.

The  Iranian Foreign Minister  will explain his country's position on the crisis in Mali during the  meeting of foreign ministers of the  OIC Contact Group

On the  sidelines of the  meeting , Salehi will discuss with participating countries peers issues of common interest.

T. Fateh