Islam Times - Iran, US in Contact over Syria: Araqchi

Islam Times - Iran and the US are involved in the indirect exchange of messages over various issues, including the developments in Syria, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said.

Speaking at a televised interview on Sunday night, Araqchi said the exchange of messages between Tehran and Washington is not anything new, as the process has been always in progress via the channel of Switzerland’s embassy.

He noted that the messages exchanged between Iran and the US cover various issues, including Syria, and include topics that both sides need to know about in order to avoid misunderstandings.

The foreign minister stated that Iran is closely monitoring the situation in Syria, noting that Tehran’s interaction with those who are going to take power in Damascus will depend on their behavior and policies towards the Islamic Republic and the Shiite Muslims in Syria and on how they would distance themselves from the Zionist regime and terrorist groups.

Araqchi also warned of the possibility of the spread of clashes from Syria to Iraq and the entire region.

He described the Syrian army’s failure to stand against militancy as the main reason behind the fall of the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The Iranian foreign minister dismissed the notion of resistance being weakened after the overthrow of the Syrian government, saying Iran continues to support resistance and monitors the situation vigilantly.

Resistance is a school of thought whose philosophy is based upon perseverance, he added.

The foreign minister said it is unlikely that Syria will be excluded from the resistance front, stressing that resistance will not come to a halt without Syria.

After storming Damascus on December 8, the Syrian opposition fighters declared that they have toppled the government of President Bashar al-Assad, who has fled Syria to Moscow.