Iran says in consultation with Syria on reopening embassies

Tehran, Dec 24: Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Tuesday that Iran and Syria are engaged in diplomatic consultations on the reopening of their embassies in Damascus and Tehran.

“We are holding diplomatic consultations to reopen the embassies of the two countries,” the spokeswoman said during a weekly press conference in the capital Tehran, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Mohajerani said Iran pursued a diplomatic approach towards the reopening of the embassies in the two capitals, adding both sides were ready for it. Iran emphasises the need for the formation of a Syrian government based on the votes of the people and for the protection of the Arab country’s territorial integrity, she stated.

Mohajerani also stressed the importance of preventing the growth and spread of terrorism to avert any harm to Syria and its neighbouring states, Xinhua news agency reported. In remarks on December 17, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the reopening of the country’s embassy in Syria was on the agenda.

He added certain requirements have to be met for the reopening, including ensuring the security of the diplomatic mission and its staff, emphasizing, “Once the necessary security and political ground is prepared, Iran will reopen its embassy.”

A militant alliance led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group waged a major military operation from northern Syria on November 27. It swept southwards, captured the capital Damascus, and overthrew former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government within 12 days.

On December 8, the Syrian militant groups stormed Iran’s embassy in Damascus, which had been vacated before the attack.

A day later, Iran had said that it believes the Syrian people should have the sole right to determine their own future, free from any foreign interference or imposition.

“Determining Syria’s future and making decisions about its destiny are solely the responsibility of the Syrian people, without any destructive interference or external imposition,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government

It had added that to achieve that, it was necessary to end military conflicts in the country as soon as possible, prevent terrorist actions and start national talks involving all segments of Syria’s society to form an inclusive government representing all Syrian people.