Iran says Riyadh meeting of Syrian opposition may harm peace talks - Fars

Reuters
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks during a news conference in Moscow, Russia, September 22, 2015. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran said a meeting of Syrian opposition figures in Riyadh will cause failure of Syrian peace talks among major Western and Middle Eastern countries, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted a senior official as saying on Thursday. "The peace talks are an opportunity to find a political solution to end the war in Syria ... such meetings in Riyadh ... are aimed at harming the Vienna talks," deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told Fars. "The meeting in Riyadh ... will cause the failure of Vienna peace talks on Syria and are not part of Vienna agreement." Iran's Sunni rival, Saudi Arabia, has invited 65 Syrian opposition figures to gather in Riyadh to try to bring together rival groups ahead of next round of Syrian peace talks. The first two rounds of talks on Syria among major powers and Gulf countries were held in Vienna. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Sandra Maler)