NCRI – What are the reasons for Iranian regime’s disagreement with the US taking part in Astana peace talks? This is the question Aljazeera TV has asked the Russian political analyst Ivan Safranchuk.
Astana peace talks is scheduled to kick off today aiming at ending the war in Syria and stabilize the ceasefire in the country. The United States has also been invited by Russia to take part in the talks, a decision strongly opposed by the Iranian regime, as expressed by its high-ranking officials.
Considering the differences between Russia and the Iranian regime and also with regard to the US-controlled nuclear deal between the Iranian regime and P5+1 countries, different questions arise regarding a confrontation between Russia and the Iranian regime.
Aljazeera TV: how does Moscow look at the Iranian regime’s opposition with the US participation in Astana peace talks?
Ivan Safranchuk, Russian political analyst: this was quite predictable that the Iranian regime wouldn’t agree with the United States being part of the Syrian negotiations. The Iranian regime believes that Syria has a military solution, quite contrary to Russia, which despite being at the forefront of military intervention in Syria, believes that the final solution is a political one and that the interests of all parties involved in the case should be taken into account. This is the cause of the difference between Russia and the Iranian regime. I believe that Russia’s efforts to achieve a political solution will eventually overpower the Iranian regime’s push for a military solution.
Also regarding the Iranian regime’s opposition with US participation in Syrian peace talks, Ali Morad, a researcher from the University of Beirut, told Aljazeera on Sunday January 22 that “with opposing the US participation in Astana peace talks, the Iranian regime is actually sending two messages, with the first being its indignation over Russia-Turkey rapprochement which has sidelined the regime, and the second is that Trump’s government is getting ready to approach Russia over the Syrian case, thus getting tough with the Iranian regime.
