TEHRAN - Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Sunday that the “political initiative” introduced by Iran, Russia and Turkey for the Syrian crisis that led to the Astana talks can serve as a model to settle bloody conflicts in the Middle East.

Shamkhani made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran with Alexander Lavrentiev, the Russian president’s special envoy on Syria.

Iran, Russia and Turkey succeeded to arrange the first meeting between the Syrian government and the armed opposition groups in Astana, Kazakhstan, on January 23-24. 

The three countries and the UN Special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, were also present in the conference. 
 
A statement was issued after the talks according to which Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed that there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict and that it can only be solved politically. Iran, Russia and Turkey also agreed to jointly enforce the truce between the government and the opposition groups which went into effect on December 30.

Shamkhani also said some countries are unhappy with the peace initiative because they want to continue supporting the terrorist groups.

The top security official added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers itself committed to end the crisis in Syria and deems it effective to apply military solution only for the groups that refuse to lay down their arms.”

It will be “impossible” to establish “peace” and security in Syria and the larger Middle East through “political solutions as long as Daesh, al-Nusra Front and their affiliated groups are in Syria,” he noted.

For his part, Lavrentiev said Iran, Russia and Syria will continue cooperation in countering the terrorist groups in Syria.

He also praised Iran’s “constructive” role in helping establish peace in Syria through dialogue. 

The meeting between Shamkhani and Lavrentiev came one day before officials from Iran, Russia and Turkey meet in Astana to draw up a plan on how to monitor the ceasefire in Syria.

NA/PA