Iranian Diplomat, Syrian FM Discuss National Dialogue Congress

During the meeting, which was also attended by Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, the two sides examined the developments in Syria and the region and highlighted the need for continued consultations and cooperation between the two countries in different spheres.

Consultation on the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi was also top on the agenda.

The Syrian National Dialogue Congress will be held in Russia’s Sochi on January 29-30 as part of the Astana Process.

Some 1,600 people have been invited to the Congress aimed at resolving the years-long crisis in the Arab country.

Eight rounds of UN-brokered Syria peace talks, which took place in the Swiss city of Geneva, failed to achieve tangible results, mainly due to the opposition’s insistence that the Syrian government cede power.

A parallel peace process between Syria’s warring parties in the Kazakh capital Astana has resulted in significant achievements instead, leading to ceasefires and the establishment of de-escalation zones across the conflict-ridden country. The Astana talks have been brokered by Iran, Russia and Turkey, the three guarantor states.