LONDON // Tehran will not work to keep Syrian president Bashar Al Assad in power “forever”, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said during a trip to Britain.
“In any political process the role played by Bashar Al Assad will be important,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told the Guardian newspaper on Wednesday.
“We are not working for Assad to stay in power forever as president. But we are very cognisant of his role in the fight against terrorism and the national unity of that country.”
“The people of Syria will make the final decision – and whatever decision they take, we will endorse,” he added.
Mr Amir-Abdollahian said Iran has “no fighting force, as such” in Syria, but that Tehran had increased military advisers to help Mr Al Assad prevail against a range of opposing forces.
However, various sources say hundreds of Iranian troops have been deployed to Syria in the past month.
Mr Amir-Abdollahian’s visit to Britain was the first by an Iranian delegation since the two countries reopened their embassies in London and Tehran due to a thaw in relations.
He held talks on Wednesday with British foreign minister Philip Hammond and his deputy Tobias Ellwood.
Mr Ellwood said afterwards on Twitter that the three had “discussed our positions” on Syria and ISIL.
The foreign office declined to comment further on the meeting.
* Agence France-Presse
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