Iran denies agreement on Assad removal

Iran has denied reports suggesting it has accepted the possible removal of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad as part of ongoing talks in Vienna, Quds Press reported on Friday.

Quds Press reported Irans’s official news agency saying that: “The Iranian delegation at the Syrian talks in Vienna completely denied the news about its agreement on the removal of the Syrian president within six months.”

According to Quds Press, mass media close to Saudi Arabia and the Syrian opposition had reported Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussein Amir Abdulahian as saying that Iran would accept Assad removal in six months.

On Friday, 14 countries including Iran began negotiation talks about Syria in Vienna. The Syrian opposition rejected Iran’s participation in the talks, considering it part of the international community’s retreat in supporting the Syrian people.

Both the Syrian regime and opposition will join the Vienna talks next week, Quds Press reported.