France: Iran too involved in Syrian conflict to be peace broker

A senior French official said here Friday that Iran would not be a suitable peace broker or mediator for the Syrian conflict because it is too heavily involved in supporting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, politically and militarily. Iran has issued statements this week hinting it could play a role in helping to end the Syrian civil war or at least getting the parties to negotiations. But the direct involvement of Iranian ally Hezbollah in fighting in Syria and reports of military advisors and even fighters from Iran on the ground in Syria would exclude Tehran from a prominent role in any peace process, officials indicated. "Firstly, we all know the involvement of Iran at the side of the Syrian regime, and when I say involvement, I not only talk of political support but also military support," Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said in a briefing. He said that even Iran had "recognised" this involvement during the battle for Qusayr on western Syria several months ago, when Hezbollah-led forces, backed by the Syrian military machine, ousted rebels from the strategic town. Lalliot said that "external forces" and "Iranian forces" had taken part in that major battle. The official pointed out that to resolve the crisis, "we cannot expect a role for a country that is involved in that very crisis and he affirmed that a mediator by definition must be neutral and have positions that are equally distant from the parties in the conflict." Secondly, the spokesman remarked, Iran must bring proof that it could be "useful" in furthering the aims of peace. He said France had some questions on this and he pointed out that Iran has never accepted the "major principles of Geneva I peace talks and especially the agreement that there must be transition in Syria and "all executive powers", including military and security powers, must be transferred to a mutually-agreed provisional authority or government. In effect, this would mean the departure of Iranian ally Bashar Al-Assad and his elite from power. "This is the heart of Geneva I and is the basis for what Geneva II should be," Lalliot said. "One cannot have the pretention to play a role in ending a crisis or in a transition (without accepting Geneva I and I am not aware that Iran has adhered to the major principles of Geneva I", he added.