“A day after the State Department acknowledged that Iran would be invited to the talks this week, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told MSNBC that Tehran’s presence would be “a big shift” that could be interpreted as a “reward” for its meddling in the four-year-old civil war”.
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Salami also acknowledged Monday that the number of Iranians dying in Syria has increased.
Michael Pregent, an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute, echoed this sentiment. “I am still staggered that we have watched this crisis (Syrian crisis) dissent in the way that it has over the years…and that we take it nearly as a given that there are thousands of people that are facing siege inside Syria….that means…that people are going hungry, children malnourish”. The U.S. and Iran have seen a few cautious cooperation in Iraq.
Iran had been barred from participating in such discussions on the understanding that its backing of the government of Bashar al-Assad was a major contributor to the persistence of the crisis.
But Iran’s participation quickly brought an angry outcry from Syria’s rebels who insist it can have no role in determining the country’s future.
The Syrian National Coalition, a Turkey-based political opposition group supported by Western powers, said that Iran’s involvement will undermine the political process. The United Nations secretary general was forced to withdraw the invitation. Therefore, the fact that Riyadh has given way to USA (and, possibly, Russian) entreaties to bring Iran into the talks shows Saudi weakness to a few extent. “(Syria), including the propping up of the Assad regime and its continued support for terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah”, Schultz told reporters traveling with the president.
USA officials would not say which power would pass the invitation to Tehran and did not know if Iran would accept, but they said it would be welcome to attend. “Giving Zarif a seat at the table is just the logical continuation of that policy”.
Its critics say the exiled group fails to represent the Syrian people and its decisions are dictated by its two main backers – Saudi Arabia and Qatar – which compete for influence.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his deputies will attend Syria peace talks in Vienna on Friday, October 30, the semi- official ISNA news agency reports, according to Reuters.
On Tuesday, in confirming it expects Iran to be invited, Washington signaled that talks are progressing but risked angering Tehran’s bitter foe Saudi Arabia. “The Vienna talks will be Iran’s first test”, he added.
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‘Does Iran even want this?’ Turkey has already suggested a deadline of six months.
