Salehi: Both Sides Should Be Blamed for Syrian Crisis

Iran's Shifting Policy Toward Syria

In the strongest sign yet of a shifting Iranian policy toward Syria, Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told the Munich Security Conference on Sunday that the blame for the Syrian conflict should be shared by both sides.

“If we want to stop the bloodshed we cannot continue putting the blame one side on the other,” Salehi said. (Reuters, 3 February)

On Saturday, Salehi held talks with Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib on the sidelines of the Munich Conference. In his speech today, Salehi said that he was ready to talk again to the opposition and wanted it to be “part of the solution.” (Reuters)

File photo: Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (IRNA)

Iranian Foreign Minister Holds Talks with Syrian Opposition Leader

The Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi today met with the Syrian opposition leader Moaz Alkhatib at the annual international security conference in Munich. Mr. Alkhatib, the chairman of Syrian Coalition, also separately met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The meetings were the first between the Syrian opposition leader and the top diplomats of Iran and Russia, suggesting a possible breakthrough in efforts to broker an end to Syria’s civil war. Russia and Iran have been the staunchest allies of Bashar al-Assad. (Reuters, 2 February)

After a 45-minute meeting with Foreign Minister Salehi, Alkhatib told Reuters: “We agreed we have to find a solution to end the suffering of the Syrian people.”

File photo: Syrian opposition leader Moaz Alkhatib (Reuters)

France Recognizes Syria Opposition

France became the first European power to recognize Syria’s new opposition coalition as the sole representative of its people. Six Arab states of the Persian Gulf also recognized the Syrian opposition on Monday.

“I announce today that France recognizes the Syrian National Council as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people and as future government of a democratic Syria making it possible to bring an end to Bashar al-Assad's regime,” French President Francois Hollande said. (Reuters, 13 November)

The French president also said France would arm the opposition as soon as they form a transitional government to take power in Syria.

Mouaz Alkhatib, the leader of the new opposition coalition, had asked EU countries to recognize his newly formed coalition.

“I request European states to grant political recognition to the coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people and to give it financial support,” Alkhatib said. “When we get political recognition, this will allow the coalition to act as a government and hence acquire weapons and this will solve our problems,” he added. (Reuters, 12 November)