“It is time for the other players as well as our neighbors to look into the truth and yield to the demands of the Syrian people and work towards fighting extremism, sectarianism and terrorism”, Zarif said.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was to travel later Wednesday to Damascus where he is expected to discuss a peace plan for ending the country’s civil war.
That plan, according to a Lebanese politician familiar with the proposal, includes a ceasefire and a power-sharing government that would keep Mr Al Assad in the picture, at least for now, pending internationally supervised elections.
Pro-government media cited sources as saying that the Syrian government is okay with the initiative as long as each step is put for public referendum.
Both Ministers discussed the need for early conclusion of the India-Iran-Afghanistan Transit Agreement, which will enable the potential of Chabahar Port to be realized.
Zarif will leave Beirut for the Syrian capital city of Damascus on Wednesday.
Later in his address to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Javad Zarif called for unity in Muslim world and said no country, including India, can undermine the importance of Pakistan for Iran.
The remarks were carried by Al-Manar, the television of the powerful Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran. But the fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad is seen as a major obstacle to the new diplomatic effort.
After the signing of a nuclear agreement by Iran and world powers in Vienna on July 14, the doors have been opened for Iran to augment its relations with countries in Asia and the Middle East. Energy starved Pakistan needs to expand economic cooperation with Iran.
His Lebanese counterpart Jebran Bassil hailed it as a visit of ‘three victories.’ Zarif’s visit was part of a second regional tour meant to reinforce the cooperation between Tehran and countries in the region in the morrow of the deal on the Iranian nuclear program.
The rebel shelling began around morning rush hour in Damascus, with more than 50 shells striking the capital, including in the upper-class neighbourhoods of Abu Rummaneh, Baramkeh and Qasaa, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Officials say Pakistan hopes the bilateral trade with Iran will receive a substantial boost in the coming years.
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Iran has lauded Pakistan’s responsible role in the region against terrorism and extremism, and urged all the regional countries to work together to fight the common challenges.
