Iran:

War on ISIL, Al-Nusra Front to Continue in Syria

Rasa - Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani underlined that the war against the ISIL and al-Nusra Front (recently renamed to Fatah al-Sham Front) will continue in Syria, adding that any talks that weaken the sovereignty of the legal Syrian government are doomed to failure.

News ID: 426180

Date: 31 December 2016 - 22:19

RNA - "Any political path and talks which weaken the sovereignty of the comprehensive and legal government over the entire territories of Syria or aim to give control over a part of the Syrian territories to the terrorist groups and foreign military occupation are against people's interests, a threat to the regional countries and doomed to failure," Shamkhani said in a meeting with Director of the Syrian National Security Bureau General Ali Mamlouk and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem in Tehran on Saturday.

Describing the freedom of Aleppo as a turning point in Syria's political-military developments and the power equations in the region, he said, "War against the ISIL and al-Nusra Front terrorists in Syria will continue and the armed groups which don’t comply with the terrorists' front should seize the opportunity of the ceasefire and return to the negotiations table for talks with the legal Syrian government."

Shamkhani underscored that the only path which can restore peace and security in Syria is unrelenting fight against terrorism and focus on Syrian-Syrian talks to reach a national agreement to hold comprehensive elections.

His remarks came after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Syrian counterpart held three rounds of talks in Tehran on Saturday to discuss ceasefire and political initiatives to settle the crisis in Syria.

Muallem arrived in Tehran this afternoon and held three rounds of talks with his Iranian counterpart on the latest developments in Syria, including durable ceasefire, sending humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, fight against the terrorist groups and political initiatives for talks and peace in the country.

Muallem is due to hold meetings and consult with other high-ranking Iranian officials too.

Zarif had earlier described the ceasefire in Syria as an important breakthrough for the Syrian government and nation.

"Ceasefire in Syria is a major achievement," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account on Friday.

The Iranian foreign minister called for uprooting the terrorist and extremist groups.

The Syrian Army and the Armed Forces General Command on Thursday declared a comprehensive cessation of hostilities across all Syrian territories starting at 00:00 on 30/12/2016 in the wake of the victories and advances achieved by the Syrian armed forces on more than a front.

The Command added that the ISIL and Al-Nusra Front (recently changed name to Fatah al-Sham) terrorist groups as well as their affiliates are excluded from the agreement, pointing out that the ceasefire comes with the aim of creating suitable circumstances for supporting the political trend to resolving the crisis in Syria.

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