The UN Prematurely Invited Iran to Attend Geneva II Peace Conference.

As the media reveal, the U.N. Secretory General Ban Ki-Moon has officially invited Iran to attend the coming Geneva II peace conference. This shocking news has caused heated debate and outrage among many politicians around the world particularly among the Syrian opposition. Following this unexpected invitation, the Syrian main political opposition in exile-the National Coalition, which had agreed to participate in this conference just two days ago, has threatened that will boycott the Geneva II conference, if the UN will not withdraw Iran invitation. Regarding this issue, the United States has urged the UN to withdraw Iran invitation, unless Iran would publicly and officially endorse the fundamental mandate of the conference; a mandate, which has been outlined in Geneva I conference and pursue "the establishment of a transitional administration that would govern Syria by “mutual consent” of the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian opposition" (Nytimes, 2014).

The US reaction in this matter is not a new statement. Since Geneva I conference, the US and some countries such as France and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly stated that Iran can attend the Syrian peace talks, If Iran would only agree with the fundamental mandate outlined in the Geneva communiqué. This unexpected invitation, however, would become more strange, when we see there is huge contradiction between what the Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon claimed yesterday and what the Iranian official stated today.

In a press conference, which took place yesterday, the U.N. Secretary General said that Javad Zarif "Iran's current Foreign Minister" agreed with the mandate of Geneva I conference and he(Javad Zarif) has stated that Iran would play a positive and constructive role in Geneva II conference. Contrary to Mr. Ban's statement is the direct reaction of the Iranian official about this invitation. The Iranian news agency "ISNA" has published an interview with Iran's foreign ministry spokesman "Marzieh Afkham" about this invitation. In this interview, Marzieh Afkham states that:

"We have always rejected any precondition for attending the Geneva II meeting on Syria ... Based on the official invitation that we have received, Iran will attend the Geneva 2 without any preconditions" (Guardian, 2014).

This unexpected invitation raises some important questions as follows. Should we trust Mr. Ban Ki-Moon’s statement in this matter or the statement revealed by Marzieh Afkham, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman? Moreover, given the fact that Syria plays an important role for Iran in different terms particularly in geopolitics arena and the notion that the members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, Quds force and Hezbollah alongside Asad’s regime forces are fighting against the Syrian opposition within the country, how would Iran be able to play a positive and constructive role in this peace conference as Mr. Ban Ki-Moon claims? Considering the overall and fully supports that Iran has been offering the Syrian regime, what is the real purpose and intention of Mr. Ban Ki-Moon by this invitation? How would Mr. Ban Ki-Moon and his close advisors perceive and analyze the Syrian civil war that they have dared to officially invite Iran in this peace conference? And many other questions.

In sum & briefly: There might come a moment somewhere in the future that Iran would agree to remove Bashar Asad from Syria. This event is possible; because a person like Bashar Asad himself is not an important issue for the Iranian Regime and its goals in the Middle East. Some other issues more than Bashar Asad are important for the Islamic Regime. These issues are including: Syria itself and the political body, which would govern Syria. Because, Syria is close to Israel; because Iran is able to fully support Hezbollah in Lebanon though Syria; because Iran's Shitte regime does not want to hand over Syria to the Sunni groups supported by Saudi Arabia.  One last question for Mr. Ban Ki-Moon and his honorable advisors: 
Based on this brief information,would it be possible that Iran plays a positive and constructive role in the Syrian peace conference?


One simple suggestion to the Syrian opposition:
I don't want to use conspiracy theory in this note, but as it appears some international actors and figures would try to trade the outcome of the Syrian civil war in return to some economic deals with the Islamic regime and Iran's nuclear activity at the expense of poor Syrian people. In this respect, for example, the complete silence of the UK is questionable. Therefore, it would be wise for the entire Syrian opposition to boycott Geneva II conference, if the UN would not withdraw Iran invitation.   



M. Sirani                                         20.01.2014


Reference:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/world/middleeast/syria.html?_r=0

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/20/syrian-peace-talks-geneva-risk-iran-invite-un