Iran Accepts Invitation To Join International Talks On Syria

New York Times: Iran Accepts Invitation to Join U.S. and Russia in Talks on Syria’s Future

LONDON — Iran has accepted an invitation to join talks with the United States and Russia this week on a possible political resolution to the Syrian civil war, state news media reported on Wednesday.

The talks would be Secretary of State John Kerry’s first formal negotiations with Tehran on issues beyond the nuclear accord reached in July.

The Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, discussedthe talks, which will be held in Vienna, in phone conversations on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, the semiofficial ISNA agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marziyeh Afkham, as saying.

Russia has urged the inclusion of Iran, the only other major power giving military support to President Bashar al-Assad, and top American officials have recently acknowledged that no serious discussion of a possible political succession plan in Syria could occur unless Tehran were involved.

WNU Editor: Symbolically .... this is a huge victory for Iran (and Russia who pushed for Iran's invitation).

More News On Iran Accepting An Invitation To Join International Talks On Syria

Iran to join Syria talks as diplomatic push gains pace -- AFP
Iran to join talks on Syria crisis alongside Assad ally Russia -- Washington Post
Syria conflict: Iran to attend talks in Vienna -- BBC
Iran to Attend Syria Talks for First Time -- VOA
Iran to attend international talks on ending Syria's civil war -- USA Today
Arch-rivals Saudi Arabia, Iran to discuss Syria face-to-face for first time -- Reuters
Iranian Influence Grows as Islamic Republic Joins Syrian Talks -- Bloomberg