The 13th round of talks on Syria concluded this evening in Astana Kazakhstan, after “extensive discussions” were held by the three main so-called guarantors of the process: Iran, Turkey, and Russia.
Both Syrian Government and Opposition delegations participated in the two-day summit, which focused on establishing a constitutional committee and the battles surrounding last remaining rebel stronghold, Idlib – where Jihadist militants have refused to surrender.
It is important to note that while Syria remained the core focus, growing tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the West were also discussed on the sidelines of the summit.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova voiced the Kremlin’s concern “about the growth of conflict potential in the Gulf area. Events there are really moving to a dangerous point and there are risks of a large-scale military clash.”
Zakharova further insisted that the United States was the one to blame for the growing risks of a large-scale military clash; saying: “We have the sense that Washington is simply looking for a pretext to whip up the situation, continue its aggressive rhetoric towards Iran, and to shift to a hotter more active phase of the conflict.”