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Syria crisis: UN withdraws Iran invitation to Geneva talks | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The UN has withdrawn its invitation to Iran to join this week's peace conference on the Syria crisis. | The UN has withdrawn its invitation to Iran to join this week's peace conference on the Syria crisis. |
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky criticised Tehran for failing to back the plan to form a Syrian transitional government, which is the basis of the conference. | UN spokesman Martin Nesirky criticised Tehran for failing to back the plan to form a Syrian transitional government, which is the basis of the conference. |
The invitation to Iran, a key ally of the Syrian regime, angered the US and the Western-backed Syrian opposition. | The invitation to Iran, a key ally of the Syrian regime, angered the US and the Western-backed Syrian opposition. |
The peace conference, due to begin on Wednesday, is the biggest diplomatic effort to end the three-year conflict. | The peace conference, due to begin on Wednesday, is the biggest diplomatic effort to end the three-year conflict. |
More than 100,000 people have been killed and millions more displaced in the war. | More than 100,000 people have been killed and millions more displaced in the war. |
UN 'disappointed' | UN 'disappointed' |
The Syrian government and the main exiled opposition group, the National Coalition, are due to send delegates to the conference, which begins in the Swiss town of Montreux. | The Syrian government and the main exiled opposition group, the National Coalition, are due to send delegates to the conference, which begins in the Swiss town of Montreux. |
The National Coalition had threatened to pull out if the invitation to Iran was not rescinded, but they have since confirmed that they will now be attending. | The National Coalition had threatened to pull out if the invitation to Iran was not rescinded, but they have since confirmed that they will now be attending. |
Withdrawing the invitation was "the right thing to do", Monzer Akbik, the National Coalition's chief of staff, told the BBC. | Withdrawing the invitation was "the right thing to do", Monzer Akbik, the National Coalition's chief of staff, told the BBC. |
Mr Nesirky said UN chief Ban Ki-moon had invited Iran after speaking in private to senior Iranian officials, who had assured him that they "understood and supported the basis and goal of the conference". | Mr Nesirky said UN chief Ban Ki-moon had invited Iran after speaking in private to senior Iranian officials, who had assured him that they "understood and supported the basis and goal of the conference". |
But Iran issued several statements on Monday rejecting any attempt to place conditions on its attendance at the conference. | But Iran issued several statements on Monday rejecting any attempt to place conditions on its attendance at the conference. |
Mr Nesirky said: "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." | Mr Nesirky said: "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." |
It is unclear whether Iran will be able to join the talks two days later, when they move to Geneva. | It is unclear whether Iran will be able to join the talks two days later, when they move to Geneva. |
US officials welcomed the withdrawal, saying they hoped the focus could return to the content of the talks. | US officials welcomed the withdrawal, saying they hoped the focus could return to the content of the talks. |
Torture allegation | Torture allegation |
Meanwhile, CNN and UK newspaper the Guardian are reporting claims that the Syrian regime tortured and killed thousands of detainees. | Meanwhile, CNN and UK newspaper the Guardian are reporting claims that the Syrian regime tortured and killed thousands of detainees. |
The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says if the account is to be believed, it shows a chilling systematic documentation of the bodies, each of which was photographed several times and given a number. | The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says if the account is to be believed, it shows a chilling systematic documentation of the bodies, each of which was photographed several times and given a number. |
Some 55,000 photographs showing roughly 11,000 dead detainees were smuggled out of Syria by a defector who served as a military police photographer, according to CNN. | Some 55,000 photographs showing roughly 11,000 dead detainees were smuggled out of Syria by a defector who served as a military police photographer, according to CNN. |
The Guardian suggests that the publication of the evidence, along with a Qatar-funded report scrutinising the credibility of the evidence, appears to have been timed deliberately to coincide with the peace conference. | The Guardian suggests that the publication of the evidence, along with a Qatar-funded report scrutinising the credibility of the evidence, appears to have been timed deliberately to coincide with the peace conference. |
The conference is the culmination of months of diplomacy. | The conference is the culmination of months of diplomacy. |
In May last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry agreed to try to bring both sides together. | In May last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry agreed to try to bring both sides together. |
Later, the UN Security Council called for a conference to implement the Geneva communique - a deal on a transitional government agreed at a UN-backed meeting in 2012. | Later, the UN Security Council called for a conference to implement the Geneva communique - a deal on a transitional government agreed at a UN-backed meeting in 2012. |
However, the National Coalition appears resolute that any transitional government will not involve President Bashar al-Assad. | However, the National Coalition appears resolute that any transitional government will not involve President Bashar al-Assad. |
For his part, Mr Assad said in an interview on Monday that the possibility of the National Coalition obtaining any ministerial positions in a new government was "totally unrealistic". | For his part, Mr Assad said in an interview on Monday that the possibility of the National Coalition obtaining any ministerial positions in a new government was "totally unrealistic". |