Russia to ‘take into account the interests of Iran’ at Jerusalem security talks

Russia’s national security says Iran’s interests in Syria must be taken into account, ahead of a meeting in Israel next week with his Israeli and American counterparts.

“Iran is in Syria at the invitation of the legitimate government and is actively involved in fighting terrorism. Therefore, of course, we will have to take into account the interests of Iran,” Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev is quoted saying on the Russian embassy in Israel’s Twitter account.

Israel in recent years has carried out hundreds of strike in Syria on targets linked to Iran, which it accuses of working to obtain a foothold on the northern border from which it can launch attacks. The US has also condemned Iran’s military presence in Syria, where it is fighting along with Russia on behalf of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.

“We will face the fact that the interests of states have different directions. The Russian side will take into account the interests of Iran bring them to the attention of the Israeli and the American side,” Patrushev says.

Israel has billed next week’s meeting, which will also include National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and US National Security Adviser John Bolton, as “unprecedented.”

The rare tripartite talks are expected to deal mostly with Syria, specifically Iran’s efforts to entrench itself militarily near Israel’s borders, and the planned withdrawal of US troops from the war-torn country.

We will face the fact that the interests of states have different directions. The Russian side will take into account the interests of Iran bring them to the attention of the Israeli and the American sides, Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev added. -2/2-

— Russia in Israel (@israel_mid_ru) June 20, 2019