UN invites Iran to Syrian peace talks

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited Iran to participate in upcoming peace talks on Syria, a move that immediately angered the opposition.

The invitation to this week’s opening-day session of the so-called Geneva 2 came as he held a surprise news conference at U.N. headquarters Sunday night.

“As I have said repeatedly, I believe strongly that Iran needs to be part of the solution to the Syrian crisis,” Ban said.

The Secretary-General added that he has spoken “at length” with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in recent days.



“He has assured me that, like all the other countries invited to the opening day discussions in Montreux, Iran understands that the basis of the talks is the full implementation of the 30 June 2012 Geneva Communique, including the Action Plan.

“Foreign Minister Zarif and I agree that the goal of the negotiations is to establish, by mutual consent, a transitional governing body with full executive powers. It was on that basis that Foreign Minister Zarif pledged that Iran would play a positive and constructive role in Montreux,” Ban said.

Zarif said on Iranian state TV that Iran will send a delegation to the Geneva 2 conference, but will not accept any preconditions for their attendance.

Talks are due to start in the Swiss city Wednesday.