US invites Iran to participate in Syrian talks

Washington, (IINA) - The United States has invited Iran on Tuesday to join the next round of talks on the Syrian conflict in the Austrian city of Vienna on Friday, DPA reported citing the US State Department.
"In looking for different multilateral settings and for the right key partners to be present, we do expect in this case that Iran will be invited to participate", spokesman John Kirby said. "Whether Iran attends on Friday is up to Iranian leaders".
Iran is a core supporter of Bashar al-Assad, whose regime has been fighting extremist militants and other rebel groups in a four-year civil war. An estimated 250,000 people were killed during the conflict, and more than half the pre-war population is displaced.
US Secretary of State John Kerry, who in recent weeks has met repeatedly in European capitals with envoys from Middle Eastern countries, European powers and Russia in pursuit of a political solution to the Syrian crisis, is due Friday in Vienna for another round of talks.
Kirby added: "There's a series of bilateral discussions that are going on, some involve the United States, many don't. As well as multilateral meetings that continue to occur, some involve the United States, some don't". He refused to discuss what other countries would be participating on Friday, saying that details were still being worked out.
"(Kerry) wants to encourage these kinds of conversations and discussions, as we continue to look for solutions to what is a difficult political situation in Syria, and a transition that can be enduring and lasting and lead to a better government for the Syrian people", Kirby said.
The US and Iran have lacked formal diplomatic relations since 1980, though there have been some attempts in the last few years, leading up to the nuclear agreement in July between Tehran and six world powers.
Reporters pressed Kirby if an invitation to Friday's talks meant Iran was among the United States' "key partners" on the Syria crisis. "I would not describe, based on their activities now, that they are certainly acting in partnership with the international community with respect to Syria", Kirby said. "But they could be. These are decisions that Iranian leaders have to decide to make".
In a related context, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius met on Tuesday in Paris with US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and envoys from France's other main partners in the Syria crisis, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Germany, Italy and Britain.
The French Foreign Ministry said the participants were seeking "the means of engaging in a political transition to a united, democratic Syria."
It is noteworthy that humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said that 13.5 million Syrians, including 6 million children, are currently in need of some form of aid or protection, which is an increase of 1.2 million since the beginning of the year. He noted that 6.5 million Syrians had been internally displaced, and 4.2 million people had fled the country.
AG/IINA

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