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| On Tour of Mideast, Kerry Says Iran Might Play Role in Syria Peace Talks | On Tour of Mideast, Kerry Says Iran Might Play Role in Syria Peace Talks |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday that Iran might play a role at the peace talks on Syria in Switzerland this month. | JERUSALEM — Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday that Iran might play a role at the peace talks on Syria in Switzerland this month. |
| It was the first time that a senior American official has indicated that Iran might be involved in the session, which is scheduled to begin Jan. 22, even if it was not a formal participant. | |
| Mr. Kerry said there would be limits on Iran’s involvement unless it accepted that the purpose of the conference should be to work out transitional arrangements for governing Syria if opponents of President Bashar al-Assad could persuade him to relinquish power. Iran has provided military and political support to Mr. Assad. | |
| “Now, could they contribute from the sidelines?” Mr. Kerry said, referring to a situation in which Iran sticks by the Assad government and does not accept that goal. “Are there ways for them conceivably to weigh in? Can their mission that is already in Geneva be there in order to help the process?” | “Now, could they contribute from the sidelines?” Mr. Kerry said, referring to a situation in which Iran sticks by the Assad government and does not accept that goal. “Are there ways for them conceivably to weigh in? Can their mission that is already in Geneva be there in order to help the process?” |
| “It may be that there are ways that could happen,” Mr. Kerry added, but he said the question would have to be decided by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations, “and it has to be determined by Iranian intentions themselves.” | “It may be that there are ways that could happen,” Mr. Kerry added, but he said the question would have to be decided by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations, “and it has to be determined by Iranian intentions themselves.” |
| Mr. Kerry made the remarks at a news conference in Jerusalem on Sunday morning, before he flew to Jordan and then Saudi Arabia to confer on his efforts to forge a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians and other regional issues. Capping a day of whirlwind travel, Mr. Kerry returned to Israel in the evening. | Mr. Kerry made the remarks at a news conference in Jerusalem on Sunday morning, before he flew to Jordan and then Saudi Arabia to confer on his efforts to forge a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians and other regional issues. Capping a day of whirlwind travel, Mr. Kerry returned to Israel in the evening. |
| The debate over what role Iran might play at a peace conference on Syria has been one of the major impediments for convening the meeting. Russia, which has backed the Assad government politically and by sending arms, has insisted for some time that Iran be included in the session. Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations special envoy on the Syria crisis, has also favored Iran’s participation, on the ground that Tehran is a major power in the region that has been involved in the Syria conflict. | The debate over what role Iran might play at a peace conference on Syria has been one of the major impediments for convening the meeting. Russia, which has backed the Assad government politically and by sending arms, has insisted for some time that Iran be included in the session. Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations special envoy on the Syria crisis, has also favored Iran’s participation, on the ground that Tehran is a major power in the region that has been involved in the Syria conflict. |
| But France and the United States, which have backed the moderate Syrian opposition, have insisted that Iran should not participate unless it first makes clear that it would accept an outcome in which Mr. Assad hands over power to a transitional body. With the planned Syria conference less than three weeks away, Mr. Kerry appeared to signal that the United States might accept a compromise on the terms of Iran’s role so that the conference could proceed. | But France and the United States, which have backed the moderate Syrian opposition, have insisted that Iran should not participate unless it first makes clear that it would accept an outcome in which Mr. Assad hands over power to a transitional body. With the planned Syria conference less than three weeks away, Mr. Kerry appeared to signal that the United States might accept a compromise on the terms of Iran’s role so that the conference could proceed. |
| But the issue raises broader questions about how to best manage the West’s relations with Tehran. So far, the thaw in relations between the United States and Iran has been mainly limited to the November interim agreement to suspend much of Iran’s nuclear program for six months. Technical talks on how to put that interim agreement into effect are still continuing, and it is unclear whether the agreement will be the basis for a more comprehensive accord to roll back Iran’s nuclear efforts. | But the issue raises broader questions about how to best manage the West’s relations with Tehran. So far, the thaw in relations between the United States and Iran has been mainly limited to the November interim agreement to suspend much of Iran’s nuclear program for six months. Technical talks on how to put that interim agreement into effect are still continuing, and it is unclear whether the agreement will be the basis for a more comprehensive accord to roll back Iran’s nuclear efforts. |
| Though American and Iranian officials have conferred at length on the nuclear question, however, they appear to have engaged in only very limited discussions of other regional issues. | Though American and Iranian officials have conferred at length on the nuclear question, however, they appear to have engaged in only very limited discussions of other regional issues. |
| With Western nations and Iran backing different sides in Syria, there have been no signs of the kind of political cooperation that was seen after the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan were deposed in 2001. | With Western nations and Iran backing different sides in Syria, there have been no signs of the kind of political cooperation that was seen after the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan were deposed in 2001. |
| The Obama administration has insisted that Mr. Assad must give up power and has provided limited support for moderate elements among the rebels who are trying to unseat him. By contrast, Iran has flown shipments of arms and members of its paramilitary Quds force to help Mr. Assad’s forces in Syria. Iran has also encouraged Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia, to intervene on Mr. Assad’s side. | |
| At the same time, the Syria conflict has become a source of friction between the United States and its traditional Arab partners, especially Saudi Arabia, which is worried about Iran’s influence in the region. Those tensions became more pronounced after the Assad government used chemical weapons last year, and the White House shelved plans to mount a military strike in response. Instead, the United States worked with Russia to conclude an agreement to eliminate Syria’s arsenal of poison gas. That agreement was hailed by arms control experts as a breakthrough, but it appears to have left Mr. Assad firmly entrenched in power. | At the same time, the Syria conflict has become a source of friction between the United States and its traditional Arab partners, especially Saudi Arabia, which is worried about Iran’s influence in the region. Those tensions became more pronounced after the Assad government used chemical weapons last year, and the White House shelved plans to mount a military strike in response. Instead, the United States worked with Russia to conclude an agreement to eliminate Syria’s arsenal of poison gas. That agreement was hailed by arms control experts as a breakthrough, but it appears to have left Mr. Assad firmly entrenched in power. |
| Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who visited the Saudi capital last month, said in an interview that Saudi officials were still bitter about the Obama administration’s handling of the Syria crisis. “They were going to support whomever they thought could defeat Bashar al-Assad,” and not just groups that the United States favored, Mr. McCain recalled of the Saudis. | Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who visited the Saudi capital last month, said in an interview that Saudi officials were still bitter about the Obama administration’s handling of the Syria crisis. “They were going to support whomever they thought could defeat Bashar al-Assad,” and not just groups that the United States favored, Mr. McCain recalled of the Saudis. |
| During his Sunday swing through the region, Mr. Kerry met for more than two hours with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at his desert palace at Rawdat Khuraim, a 30-minute helicopter flight from the capital, Riyadh. Mr. Kerry said afterward that the king backed his efforts to negotiate a peace accord between the Israelis and the Palestinians. “His majesty was not just encouraging, but supported our efforts,” Mr. Kerry said. | During his Sunday swing through the region, Mr. Kerry met for more than two hours with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at his desert palace at Rawdat Khuraim, a 30-minute helicopter flight from the capital, Riyadh. Mr. Kerry said afterward that the king backed his efforts to negotiate a peace accord between the Israelis and the Palestinians. “His majesty was not just encouraging, but supported our efforts,” Mr. Kerry said. |
| The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, also said Mr. Kerry and the king had an “excellent meeting.” But neither side offered any details about their discussions concerning three timely and delicate issues: the situation in Syria, the coming peace conference and Iran. | The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, also said Mr. Kerry and the king had an “excellent meeting.” But neither side offered any details about their discussions concerning three timely and delicate issues: the situation in Syria, the coming peace conference and Iran. |