Iranian ambassador: Barring Iran from Syria conference counterproductive

Iranian Ambassador to Russia said Monday that those who are against Tehran's participation in a conference of Syria did not want peaceful solution to the crisis. "The statements that Iran should not take part in the Syrian conference could be an excuse for these countries not to participate in that conference themselves," Ambassador Reza Sajjadi told reporters, adding the U.S. undoubtedly wants the conference to fail. The diplomat described the crisis in Syria as an example of the double standards openly applied by the West. "To whom they (Western countries) supply arms? To criminals who kill children and rape women," he said. He praised Russia for its Middle East policy, saying that " Russia's behavior in the Middle East in recent years has been smart and reasonable, in contrast to Westerners who attempt to enforce their opinion." Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Friday to send peacekeepers, as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force, to replace the Austrian peacekeepers who were to withdraw due to an " unacceptable level of danger to its personnel." On Saturday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Getilov said that the United Nations was really concerned over tensions in the Golan Heights. "Then sending a Russian contingent there is a solution," he said.