Iran clarifies positions on Syria’s reconstruction, Idlib issue

Tabnak – As the war in Syria is entering its final stages with the Syrian government retaking more and more territories from the rebel and terrorist groups, the issue of reconstructing the war-torn country gains more significance. Like many other actors involved, Iran is in the process of defining its role in Syria’s reconstruction.

In this vein, Iran's Foreign Ministry has announced that the country plans to have its private sector participate in the reconstruction of post-war Syria.

Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Bahram Qassemi said in a press briefing on Monday that Iran has had an active presence in the fight against terrorism in Syria based on the Syrian government's request and will be present in reconstructing the Arab country as well.

"Iran's plan is for the private sector and commercial, industrial, and technological enterprises to have a presence in Syria," Qassemi said. "We hope conditions would be created as soon as possible for work to begin and for the [Iranian private] sector, too, to be able to serve the people of Syria."

Syria has been fighting militancy since 2011. But the Syrian government, with advisory military help from its allies Iran and Russia, has taken back control of much of the country since then, and the conflict is generally believed to be winding down. Countries are already planning to help reconstruct war-hit Syria.

Meanwhile and in another related position on the Syrian Crisis, the Iranian chief negotiator in the peace process for Syria says the potential massacre of civilians while trying to retake the last major stronghold of anti-government militants in Syria — namely Idlib Province — is a red line for Iran.

Hossein Jaberi Ansari, senior assistant to the Iranian foreign minister on special political affairs, told Press TV’s website in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, October 10, that Idlib had a special status and had to be dealt with accordingly.

He said armed and terrorist groups have blended into a large civilian population there, which makes a retake of the region complicated and, in Iran’s viewpoint, eliminates the possibility of a quick fix.

Jaberi Ansari called the situation in Idlib “the epitome of the complexities of the Syrian conflict.”

“On the one hand, three million people are currently settled in Idlib. About half of that population is native to the region, and the other half comprises displaced persons from other areas,” he explained.

Of the second half, some are people normally displaced by the war, and others are the families of armed Syrian government opponents who have, along with their men, migrated there as part of previous deals, the senior Iranian official further said.

“On the other hand,” he said, “Idlib is the concentration point of numerous armed and terrorist groups” and as such, could not be left to itself.

Given the complexity of the matters in Idlib, he said, Iran sought, in negotiations with its partners in the Astana process — a peace initiative for Syria launched jointly with Russia and Turkey — to make the case for a solution that is exclusive to Idlib and its special status.

He said the solution was phased and composite to include security, military, and political components that would have to be agreed upon.