Iran Joining Syria Talks Opened Door for Comprehensive Peace Solution

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that foreign mediators should not set preconditions to the development of intra-Syrian talks while the future of the country should be determined exclusively by the Syrian people.

DAVOS (Sputnik) — A possibility of reaching a comprehensive solution to the Syrian conflict became way more likely after Iran joined the talks on the crisis settlement, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Wednesday.

"Since Iran was included [in Syrian discussions], I'm not boasting, but doors opened up to an agreement for the first time. For the first time in 4 years we had a meaningful Security Council resolution coming out of the Syrian talks," he said on the sidelines of the 46th annual World Economic Forum, currently underway in the Swiss town of Davos.

Zarif added that foreign mediators should not set preconditions to the development of intra-Syrian talks while the future of the country should be determined exclusively by the Syrian people.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011. Forces loyal to President Bashar Assad have been fighting several opposition factions and numerous extremist groups.

In October, a broad new round of international talks on the settlement of the Syrian crisis started in Vienna that brought Iran to the table for the first time.

Peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition are scheduled to be held on January 25 in Geneva.