Iran role in resolving Syria crisis decisive

Permanent representative of India to the United Nations Hardeep Singh Puri says as a regional power Iran’s role in helping to resolve the Syrian crisis will be decisive.

“Considering Iran’s good relation with Syria, the UN Security Council members ask and expect Tehran to help Kofi Annan, the UN special envoy for Syria affairs, to establish peace and stability in that country (Syria),” Singh Puri said in an interview with IRNA on Saturday.

Referring to Annan’s expected visit to Tehran, he added that the UN envoy has counted on Iran’s decisive role to resolve the Syrian crisis.

“Tehran can use its position and influence to encourage the Syrian government to further cooperate in resolving its issues,” the Indian official said.

Annan has proposed a six-point plan to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the resolution of the turmoil in Syria.

The plan, among other things, calls for the withdrawal of Syrian troops from population centers and a ceasefire between the government and the opposition.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing the protesters. But Damascus blames ”outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.