Iran holds reconciliation conference to unite Syria

It’s unclear whether any representatives of the major rebel groups turned up, given their deep mistrust of Tehran for backing Damascus regime

18 November 2012, 2:53 pm

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A rebel sniper aims at a Syrian army position on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012. (photo credit:AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran says it has held a conference to reconcile Syria’s government with opposition factions and end the country’s civil war.

But the report by the official IRNA news agency did not say that any of the major rebel and exile groups had attended the Sunday gathering. Most distrust Iran, a key ally of their adversary President Bashar Assad.

The conference is seen as a reaction to last week’s meeting in Qatar in which opposition groups formed an umbrella coalition to topple Assad.

The report said the one-day meeting of some 200 opposition members and Syria’s National Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar could be a step for a future broad-based opposition gathering.

In August Iran held another conference on the Syria conflict, attended by representatives of 30 countries attended.