Defeat Of Enemyˈs Plots In Syria Evident: Envoy

Beirut, March 5, IRNA – Signs of defeat of enemyˈs plots in Syria are evident, Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi said here Monday. Roknabadi made the remarks in a meeting with the family members of the martyred Lebanese resistance leader, Sheikh Ragheb Harb, in Jebsheet town of Jabal Amal region in Southern Lebanon on Monday. Danny Abdalla, a Lebanese criminal living in Denmark, admitted to having killed Sheikh Harb in 1984 on behalf of the Zionist regime. “Syria has been targeted by enemies because of its support for resistance against the occupier force of the Zionist regime; Iran supported the resolution of Syria crisis through diplomatic ways and many supporters of armed terrorists finally accepted this approach.” Pointing to the Westˈs imposed pressure and sanctions against Iran, Roknabadi added that the enemies have failed to force Tehran to accept their illegal demands because the Islamic Republic has the support of its nation. Criticizing the Zionist regimeˈs criminal actions against the Palestinian prisoners, he reiterated the all-out support of the Islamic Republic for the Palestinian’s rights. Earlier on Monday, the Syrian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Jihad al-Laham said that President Bashar al-Assadˈs government is ready to start talks with the opposition groups without any precondition. ˈ… God willing we will win through (maintaining) unity and integrity and we have no precondition for sitting at the negotiating table for talks,ˈ al-Laham told FNA in Damascus. He noted that the Syrian people are relying on their national possibilities to get rid of the current crisis, and stressed, ˈThe door of negotiation and dialogue is open to everyone, and everyone can sit at the negotiating table to first put an end to the Syrian citizensˈ pains and sufferings and then provide a safe exit from the crisis for the Syrian people.ˈ On Sunday and after a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mualem in Tehran, Iranˈs Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi informed the media that Damascus has expressed its readiness to sit at the negotiating table even with the armed groups. Speaking with the reporters at a joint press conference with his visiting Syrian counterpart, Salehi said Iran is trying to prepare the ground for a meeting between the Syrian government and opposition. ˈThe Syrian government has voiced its preparedness (for talks) and there remains no excuse (for the opposition to avoid talks). Mualem has announced in Syria that his countryˈs leaders are prepared to even talk with the armed opposition,ˈ Salehi added. As regards Iranˈs stance on the Syrian crisis, Salehi said that Iran believes ˈthe Syrian crisis has no military solutionˈ, and stressed that ˈthe cessation of hostilities in Syria is Iranˈs first and foremost demandˈ. The Iranian minister said that Iran is in contact with some opposition groups to convince them to participate in the talks, and added, ˈIf they insist on spreading bloodshed in the country they should know that they will be held accountable (for continued violence and killings in the country.)”/end