The new UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, has spoken by telephone with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and is contemplating a trip to Tehran, an Iranian official told the Mehr news agency on Sunday.
Brahimi, who is embarking on his first Middle East tour since taking over the position last week from Kofi Annan, spoke with Salehi late Saturday, one of Iran’s deputy foreign ministers, Abbas Araqchi, was quoted as saying. “It is planned for him to come to Iran at a suitable time after going to Syria,” Araqchi said. He did not give any further indication as to a date for the visit.
A foreign ministry statement posted online said Salehi congratulated Brahimi on his appointment “and wished him success in his task.” The two discussed the situation in Syria and Salehi emphasised that his country wanted a “peaceful solution without foreign intervention,” the statement said.
Brahimi was quoted talking about the “positive role” Iran could play in the Syrian crisis and his quest for a peaceful solution. Brahimi took up his post on September 1, succeeding Annan, who stepped down in frustration at open dissent within the UN Security Council on how to tackle Syria. He is due to visit Egypt on Sunday for talks with Arab League leaders ahead of a trip he hopes to make to Damascus, according to his spokesman.