UN Rescinds It's Invitation To Iran To Attend The Syrian Peace Talks At Geneva

UN Rescinds Iran's Invite For Syria Talks -- Al Jazeera

The main western-backed Syrian opposition has now announced that it will attend the peace talks in Geneva.

The UN secretary-general has withdrawn his invitation to Iran to join this week's Syria peace talks, saying he is "deeply disappointed" by Iran's statements on Monday.

A spokesman for Ban Ki-moon announced the withdrawal less than 24 hours after Ban surprised the US and others by saying he had invited Syria's closest regional ally.

The withdrawn invitation came shortly after Iran's UN ambassador declared the Islamic Republic wouldn't join the Syria talks if required to accept 2012 Geneva roadmap.

"The statement today in Tehran by the foreign ministry spokesperson fell short by some measure of what the secretary-general expected to hear," said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky, adding that the UN has been in close contact with the US and Russians over the weekend.

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More News On The UN Rescinding It's Invitation To Iran To Attend The Syrian Peace Talks At Geneva

U.N. backs down in standoff over Iran, opening way for Syria peace talks -- Washington Post
Under U.S. Pressure, U.N. Withdraws Iran’s Invitation to Syria Talks -- New York Times
UN rescinds invitation to Iran to attend talks -- Washington Post/AP
Iran invite to Syria talks withdrawn after boycott threat -- Reuters
UN-invited: Ban Ki-moon withdraws offer for Iran to join Syria peace talks -- NBC
UN chief withdraws invitation for Iran to participate in Syria peace talks -- FOX News
U.N. disinvites Iran to Syrian peace talks -- USA Today
Iranian Invite to Geneva 2 Withdrawn -- Voice of America
UN Withdraws Its Invitation for Iran to Join Syria Peace Talks -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Syrian Peace Talks: The U.N. Extends, And Then Regrets, An Invitation To Iran -- Time

My Comment: What was UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon thinking? His excuse is that he was privately assured by the Iranians that they would respect the conditions to the talks .... but in their public statements, Iranian officials said Iran had been invited with no such conditions attached. Talk about a huge diplomatic snafu.