Publish Date: 19 November 2012 - 11:30

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has reiterated Tehran’s stance in support of a peaceful resolution to the Syrian crisis through the participation of all parties involved.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly stressed, and today we once again emphasize, that we seek a peaceful Syria-Syria resolution to Syria’s issue without any foreign interference,” Salehi told reporters at the end of the Syria National Dialogue meeting held in Tehran on Sunday.

Salehi added that the Syrian government is obliged to respond to the legitimate demands of the Syrian people.


“We stress respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and for the legitimate demands of the Syrian nation; and these are the principles that must be taken into account in any discourse on Syria.”

According to Salehi, representatives from nearly 40 active Syrian political parties, including 130 figures from inside Syria and 40 Syrian and non-Syrian figures from other countries took part in the Sunday meeting.

He said that members of the Syrian opposition were also among the participants.

The Iranian top diplomat said the participants reiterated the need for “democracy and peace” in Syria and called for an end to “violence” in the Arab country.

Those attending the meeting agreed to establish a committee to follow through national dialog in Syria and to extend the talks to those opposition figures who had been invited to but did not attend the Tehran meeting due to various reasons, Salehi said.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
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