Russia, Iran should hold regular consultations on Middle East situation

MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. Moscow and Tehran should hold regular consultations on the situation in the Middle East, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari told a news conference on Thursday following meeting with Russian presidential envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. "Considering the speed of events in the Arab region and the depth of the changes it is imperative that Russia and Iran hold regular consultations," the diplomat said. During the consultations held on September 14 the two sides called for observing the ceasefire in Syria and holding the intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva at an early date. They also exchanged views in detail on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa. The talks focused on the situation in and around Syria in the light of the beginning of the implementation of the September 9 Russian-US agreements on consolidating the cessation of hostilities regime in Syria, fighting terrorist groups and facilitating humanitarian access. The two diplomats expressed satisfaction with the constructive approach of the Syrian authorities and their willingness to honor their part of commitments to maintain the truce and pointed to the need of compliance with it by the Syrian opposition armed groups. There was also a consensus on the need for the speedy launching the UN-sponsored inclusive intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva on the basis of the Geneva Communique of June 30, 2012, UN Security Council Resolution 2253 and the decisions of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG). Read more