Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says military approaches will fail to resolve the Syrian crisis, stressing that military intervention of certain countries has only prolonged the sufferings of people in the war-stricken state.
Zarif was speaking at a joint news conference with his Russian and Turkish counterparts Sergei Lavrov and Mevlut Cavusoglu, respectively, on Saturday in Moscow, where the three top diplomats, whose countries act as guarantors of the Syria ceasefire, discussed the latest developments in Syria.
After the launching of the Astana peace process some 16 months ago, Tehran, Ankara and Moscow made attempts to alleviate the Syrian people’s sufferings and find a political solution to the Arab country’s crisis, he said.
He added that the process was still the only option to restore peace to Syria with the help of the United Nations.
“We have announced since the outset that [the crisis in] Syria has no military solution and that the sides must focus on a political solution,” Zarif pointed out.
The Astana peace talks, which have usually involved delegations from the Syrian government and opposition, began in January 2017 with the mediation of Russia and Iran, two Syria’s allies, as well as Turkey, which backs several armed opposition groups operating against Damascus.
The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey on April 4 reaffirmed their commitment to work toward achieving a sustainable ceasefire between the warring sides in Syria and bringing peace and stability to the war-torn Arab country.
Source: Press TV
