Russia urges Iran presence in Geneva II

The Russian Foreign Ministry has reiterated the necessity of Iran’s participation in the upcoming Geneva II conference on the ongoing crisis in Syria.

According to Press TV, in a statement on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow believes “influential states of the region, among them Iran,” should be invited to the Geneva II international peace conference for Syria.
The Geneva II conference, which will be a follow-up to an earlier one held in June 2012, had been proposed by Moscow and Washington on May 7, but was delayed for several months.
However, on November 25 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the long-delayed event will be held on January 22, 2014.
On December 5, Ban also stressed the necessity of inviting Iran to the Geneva II conference as Tehran “can play an important role.”
He said “Iran should be invited to this meeting (Geneva II). I and UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi had made it clear in the past that Iran should be invited to this meeting.”