Iranian Diplomats in Sochi for Syria Peace Talks
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A delegation of Iranian diplomats has traveled to Sochi for a new round of talks with the Russian, Turkish and UN teams on peace in Syria, known as the Astana Format.
The 15th meeting of senior experts from the three guarantor states of the Astana peace process -Iran, Russian and Turkey- kicked off in Sochi on Tuesday, with a UN delegation in attendance.
The two-day meeting is focusing on issues such as Syria’s Constitutional Committee, the Damascus government’s sovereignty over the entire Syrian territories, reconstruction of war-ravaged areas, return of Syrian refugees, exchange of prisoners as well as ways to counter US and Western sanctions, Press TV reported.
Iran, Russia and Turkey are guarantor countries that brokered a ceasefire in Syria in December 2016, leading to the Astana talks, which are running parallel to the Geneva peace talks.
The leaders and senior diplomats of the three countries regularly meet for an assessment of the process which focused on Idlib and adjacent areas - the last stronghold of the rebels - and a political process after the formation of the Constitutional Committee.
Conflicts erupted in Syria back in 2011, when a small group of opposition forces took up arms against Damascus.
Soon, however, a mix of international terrorists and paid mercenaries mingled with and then largely sidestepped the armed Syrian opposition groups, effectively turning the Arab country into a battlefield for foreign governments opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.