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Syria peace talks to go ahead without Iran

The United Nations has withdrawn its invitation to Iran to attend this week's Syria peace talks after the Syrian political opposition threatened to pull out. The UN said Iran did not believe in its goal of establishing a transitional governing body.

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UN: Iran refused to accept stated aims of peace talks

A UN spokesman explained that Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon withdrew Iran's invite after it refused to accept the goals of the Syrian peace talks, including "the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers":

In a series of meetings and telephone conversations, senior Iranian officials assured the Secretary-General that Iran understood and supported the basis and goal of the Conference, including the Geneva Communiqué.

The Secretary-General is deeply disappointed by Iranian public statements today that are not at all consistent with that stated commitment.

He continues to urge Iran to join the global consensus behind the Geneva Communiqué.

Given that it has chosen to remain outside that basic understanding, he has decided that the one-day Montreux gathering will proceed without Iran’s participation.

– United Nations spokesman

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