Iran, Russia agree on diplomatic solution to Syria crisis

Moscow, June 12, IRNA – A senior official at Iranˈs Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that Iran and Russia had consensus on finding a peaceful diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis in Syria. ˈThe issue of Syria has no military solution and Iran and Russia have consensus on that,ˈ Deputy Foreign Minister for the North Africa and the Middle East Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian told IRNA here after a meeting with his Russian counterpart. The Iranian official arrived in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss issues of mutual interest, including the crisis in Syria, with Russian officials. He said that during the meeting the two had detailed discussions on the situation in Syria and on ways to put an end to the ongoing violence in that country. As for the Geneva-2 Conference on Syrian which is to be held in the Switzerland in July, Amirabdollahian said Tehran would welcome holding of the conference. ˈThe conference will be successful only when all influential parties participate in the event,ˈ said the official. He stressed that no other countries not even Russia, Iran, US or Saudi Arabia, could decide on behaf of the Syrian people. The Syrian nation should decide its own destiny by itself, Amirabdollahian stressed. He expressed hope that the Geneva-2 Conference would help Syrians determine their own destiny./end