UN Invites Iran To The Syrian Peace Talks. The U.S. Objects. Syrian Opposition Will Now Not Attend

Syrian Civil War Peace Talks At Risk As Iran Accepts Invitation -- The Guardian

UN invitation to key Assad ally Tehran endangers Syrian opposition presence at Geneva talks and risks new US-Russian row

The first direct talks between both sides in the three-year Syrian civil war appear to be at risk after Iran accepted a last-minute invite by the UN secretary general to attend the opening meeting.

The Syrian opposition only narrowly agreed to attend the talks, due to start in Geneva on Wednesday, over the weekend. On Monday, their attendance was once again in doubt after Ban Ki-moon's decision to invite Tehran – a key regional ally of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad – which they said must be withdrawn before talks can begin.

Iran said it will attend the talks and had accepted the invitation without preconditions.

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More News On The UN Inviting Iran To The Syrian Peace Talks

UN: ‘Urgent discussions’ under way on Syria talks -- Washington Post/AP
Iran to join Syria peace talks: UN chief -- NBC
Iran says will attend Syria talks, rejects preconditions -- AFP
UN Invite to Iran Throws Syria Peace Talks Into Doubt -- Voice of America
Syrian Invitation to Iran Prompts Rebels to Suspend Talks -- Bloomberg
Syrian opposition, angry over Iran invite, may pull out of talks -- CNN
Syria opposition sets deadline for UN to retract Iran peace talks invite -- Haaretz/Reuters/AP
U.N. invitation to Iran thrusts Syria peace talks into uncertainty -- Washington Post
U.N.'s last-minute Iran invitation throws Syria talks into doubt -- Reuters
UN invitation to Iran threatens Syria peace talks -- FOX News/AP
Syria crisis: Iran cannot go to Geneva peace talks - US -- BBC
U.S. says invitation to Iran to attend Syria talks should be withdrawn -- Reuters
Kerry urges UN to rescind Iran invite as Syria peace talks threatened -- FOX news
U.S. Expects U.N. to 'Rescind' Invitation to Iran -- Wall Street Journal
Prospects for Geneva 2 Syria peace talks in disarray over Iran invite -- Deutsche Welle

Update: Syrian opposition pull out of Geneva talks over Iran invite -- Times
Update #2: Syria peace talks will be a sham without Iran – Russia. -- RIA Novosti
Update #3: Syria opposition issues ultimatum over talks -- Al Jazeera

My Comment: What a mess.