Iran offers comprehensive plan to end Syria crisis

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says the Islamic Republic has offered a comprehensive plan to end the crisis in Syria.

Salehi made the announcement in an address to the opening ceremony of the International Conference of Muslim University Professors and Islamic Awakening in Tehran on Monday.

The Iranian foreign minister said Iran offered the comprehensive six-point plan for ending the Syrian crisis to Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Russia and UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.

The plan calls for an end to the violence and the initiation of national dialog, he added.

“We consider commitment to national talks as the most apt way to resolve the issues of Syria and Bahrain,” Salehi said.

The Iranian foreign minister criticized the West’s “selective approach” to the recent unrest in Syria and called for a “diplomatic solution” to the country’s crisis.

Pointing to the first round of the Syria National Dialogue meeting in Tehran, Salehi said the true opposition groups in the Arab country welcome negotiations and diplomacy.

“Today, the main opposition in Syria believes in dialogue; but, at the same time as Tehran’s meeting was ongoing, terrorists were targeting the people and the government.”

“These irresponsible groups that are supported by certain foreign countries have targeted the vast human resources and infrastructure in Syria and have jeopardized the security of the country and the region,” Salehi added.

Iran hosted a two-day meeting between the representatives of the Syrian government and opposition groups in November with participants unanimously opposing foreign interference and calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Arab country.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have been killed in the violence.