16.01.10 - Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura

Special Envoy de Mistura concluded today his present round of regional consultations with meetings in Tehran. He had useful exchanges with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian. Mr de Mistura updated his interlocutors on preparations for the upcoming Geneva Talks. Like he had done when he visited Saudi Arabia on 5 January, he asked and obtained the assurance of his interlocutors that current tensions in the region would not affect the engagement of their government in supporting the Vienna process and facilitating the holding of the Geneva Talks.

The Special Envoy is now going to debrief the Secretary-General and seek his guidance in view of the beginning of the Talks. He looks forward to the International Syria Support Group and the Security Council continuing to provide serious and consistent engagement, in order to ensure the beginning, on 25 January, of genuine political discussions aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis. ​

Geneva, 10 January 2016