The international envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, is trying to engage Iran in a mediation process designed to resolve the Syrian crisis that seems to spiral out of control, to take advantage of the influence that this country has on the authorities in Damascus, despite the fact that Western countries are reluctant to accept such a proposal. “Iran is a country that plays an important role in the region and would like to take part in solving the Syrian conflict,” Annan told the press following a meeting of the UN Security Council, after admitting the failure of his peace plan for Syria, which “was not implemented.”
Following the intensification of violence in Syria, Kofi Annan seems to consider a new strategy, seeking to achieve, during the mediation, direct participation of the countries that have an influence on conflicting parties. Therefore, he is considering setting up a contact group for Syria, with the participation of the Security Council permanent members (U.S., UK, France, Russia and China), but also neighboring countries of Syria that have an influence in region such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran.
Annan said that the idea is under consideration, and the composition of the contact group has not yet been established, but he supports the inclusion of Iran in the negotiations, as he wants to build on the “states with real influence” to establish a “roadmap” and to “guide the parties in the same direction”.
Iran, part of the Syrian problem
But Annan’s idea is viewed with wariness by Western countries, even Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, showing reservations about this proposal, according to the Spanish news agency EFE. U.S. Ambassador to UN Susan Rice said that Iran can not be part of the contact group for Syria because it “is part of the Syrian problem” and “is actively involved in violence” in this country.
The deputy French ambassador to the UN, Martin Briens, it was not enthusiastic about this idea, considering that now is more important “peace plan implementation.” Russia supports the idea of an international conference on Syria rather than establishing a contact group, and would prefer inviting countries like Iran or Saudi Arabia at such a conference because they are actors “that have something to say”, although they received “criticism” from both sides.
It is not the first time Kofi Annan tries to obtain support from Iran to resolve the Syrian crisis. He visited Tehran for this purpose on April 11, the day before the ceasefire between the Syrian army and insurgents came to force as set out in his peace plan, a ceasefire that both parties violates constantly.
Strategic Alliance
Syria and Iran are strategic partners. In February 2007, Bashar al-Assad and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were laying the foundations of what they called the alliance against American and Zionist conspiracies in the Islamic world. British press revealed last year that, during the intensification of protests against the regime in Damascus, elite military forces – Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards – sent logistical support, and fighters to support its ally.
Mohsen Chizari, the third in the hierarchy of the Quds Force, the troops responsible for military activities and information gathering outside Iran, was deployed to Syria to train the Syrian army. He brought with him equipment to suppress demonstrations, and snipers and specialists in techniques of surveillance. However, in the context of increasing international pressure on Syria and the more obvious evidence of atrocities committed by the regime in Damascus, Iran has, in August 2011, through the voice of his foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, has asked Syria to “respond to the requests of its people”.
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