Top security official renews Iran's support for ceasefire in Syria

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 3, IRNA -- Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Wednesday underlined continuation of ceasefire in Syria

Shamkhani called for strengthening of consultations between Tehran, Moscow and Damascus to speed up fulfillment of political settlement to solve the Syrian crisis.

Considering beginning of new round of political talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, Shamkhani told Patrushev that concentration on solutions based on regional participation may accelerate ending trend for Syrian security crisis.

The two sides also discussed and exchanged views on activities of national security bodies of the two countries and on the latest political and security developments in Syria and mutual cooperation in this regard.

Shamkhani underlined the necessity for continuation of political talks between Syrian militants and government, and said that respecting people's desire to choose their fate and future freely and avoiding any kind of foreign pressures on political talks trend should be paid attention to.

Secretary of Russian Federation National Security Council Nikolai Patrushev,for his part, underlined the necessity for continuation and strengthening of consultations between the two countries to speed up fulfillment of political solutions, and added that a number of trans-regional players by ignoring necessity to protect territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Syria are pursuing plans to disintegrate Syria.

He added that by maintaining and developing ceasefire and taking advantage of new political initiatives these dangerous plots might be neutralized.

Patrushev called Astana talks as a successful initiative to help settle current crisis in Syria, and said that Iran and Russia should use all their capacities to influence conflicted sides in order to increase grounds to stabilize ceasefire in Syria.

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