Iranian President Confirms Attendance of Intra-Syrian Talks in Astana

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani confirmed his attendance of a planned meeting between the Syrian government and opposition delegations in Astana, Kazakhstan, local media reported Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Rouhani welcomed the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the mediation of the intra-Syrian talks in Astana between the parties to the Syrian conflict, the Fars news agency reported.

Astana meeting could be held before January 20, Vitaly Naumkin, an adviser to the UN special envoy to Syria, told Sputnik on Thursday.

The Geneva-format Syria talks, mediated by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, are expected in early February.