Russia, Iran Crucial in Facilitating Settlement in Syrian Civil War

According to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Russia and Iran have direct influence over Syria's political situation.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Russia and Iran are both crucial to ensure a political process to end the Syrian civil war, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Wednesday.

"If we want political situation to move inside Syria and the political process to start immediately, we need to involve the actors that have an influence, a direct influence [on the Syrian government], and that is why both Russia and Iran are crucial," Mogherini said ahead of a weekly European Commission College meeting.

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura exchanged views on resolving the four-year Syrian civil war during a meeting in Moscow. Lavrov said the political process in Syria depended on coordinating anti-terrorist actions on the ground.

Mogherini said that the talks between Lavrov and de Mistura were very important to end the Syrian civil war.

Moscow has been promoting a political settlement in Syria since the war began in 2011 and has hosted two rounds of intra-Syrian talks between officials from the Syrian government and the country's opposition.