Brahimi in Iran to talk Syria crisis

UN-Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi will travel to Tehran on Saturday to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria with Iranian officials.

Barahimi will also hold talks and exchange views with Iranian authorities about the long-awaited Geneva 2 peace conference on Syria, the Fars News Agency reported.

The UN-Arab League envoy is currently on a Middle East tour to muster support for the Geneva meeting, which is scheduled to be held in November.

Brahimi arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday after visiting Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait.

On September 29, Brahimi stated that it would be beneficial if Iran takes part in the Geneva 2 conference and there is the possibility of inviting the Islamic Republic.

In a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York on October 2, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also underscored Tehran’s decisive role in the settlement of the crisis in Syria, stressing the need for Iran’s presence in any international talks on Syria.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence.