“They made every effort to overthrow the government of Syria by beating the drums of war,” the adviser to Iran's Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani on international affairs said on Sunday, adding, “But when they could not achieve their objectives, they tried to enforce their schemes through negotiations and a political solution.”
Unrest has gripped Syria for nearly two years and clashes continue between the Syrian army and foreign-backed militant groups. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and that a very large number of the militants operating in the country are foreign nationals.
“Negotiations between the armed opposition and their supporters and the government of [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad will be difficult and complicated,” Sheikholeslam added.
Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said on February 25 that Damascus is ready to hold talks with the armed opposition to end the violence that has ravaged the country.
On January 30, the leader of the foreign-backed Syrian opposition coalition, Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, announced that he is ready for “direct discussions” with representatives of the Syrian government in Cairo, Tunis or Istanbul.
Sheikholeslam said another reason for the militants and their supporters’ push for talks was concern for disintegration and tribal conflict, which could spill over to other countries in the region, including littoral Persian Gulf Arab countries, the consequences of which could endanger the West’s interests.
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