UN envoy discusses Syria crisis with Iranian authorities

The UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Tuesday visited Iran where he discussed Syria crisis with senior Iranian officials in a bid to seek a Syrian-led political solution to the long-standing conflict, Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, told reporters here. While in Tehran, the Iranian capital, de Mistura met with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdollahian, Haq said at a daily news briefing here. "During his meetings, Mr. de Mistura stressed the urgency of a Syrian-led political solution to the conflict and exchanged views on how to proceed with a political process, with the support of the Security Council," Haq said. "He also underscored the absence of a military solution to this conflict and recalled the imperative for all parties to uphold the principle of the protection of civilians." The special envoy is working to finalize his proposals to the secretary-general on a way forward to support Syrian parties in their search of a political solution to the conflict, in preparation for a briefing to the Security Council next week in New York, according to Haq. The United Nations has long seen Iran as one of the influential countries in the Middle East region which can contribute to international efforts for an early end to the Syria crisis, which broke out in March 2011.