Minister: Iran presence in Syria conference decisive

Syrian National Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar has described as decisive Iran’s presence in the long-awaited international peace conference on Syria.
In an interview with al-Alam news channel on Friday, Haidar said Iran is a long-time friend and ally of the Syrian government and nation.
Iran is a friend of all freedom-seeking nations and its role in the upcoming conference, scheduled to open on January 22, 2014, in the Swiss city of Montreux, is decisive and instrumental, the Syrian minister added.
He said foreign based opposition parties are following their own policies in finding a solution to the crisis, which are mainly in opposite with the viewpoints of internal opposition parties.
Speaking at a news conference in New York on December 23, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Iran should be invited to the international conference aimed at achieving a political solution to the crisis in Syria.
“Iran can play a very important role. It’s a very important regional power. Therefore, logically speaking, and practically and realistically, they should be a part of this meeting,” Ban said.
Earlier on December 20, UN-Arab League Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi had told media that Iran’s participation in the Syria peace conference has not been decided yet due to the US opposition.
Syria has been gripped by a deadly crisis since 2011. According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the violence.