Meeting on Syria should help national unity: Iran

The upcoming international conference on Syria should facilitate national unity and open the ways for collective cooperation against terrorism in the country, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif said on Thursday, according to state IRIB TV.

Upon his arrival in Vienna, Zarif said "without Iran's participation (in the talks), there would be no reasonable and logical solution to the Syrian issue".

Any solution to the conflicts in Syria should also take into consideration the "basic principles of fighting terrorism, respecting sovereignty of the country and the rights of the Syrians to decide on their future," he said.

Zarif is heading Iran's delegation in Friday's meeting in Vienna. Iran has been invited to the talks on Syria for the first time over the past years.

Russia, the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the European Union will attend the meeting. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan will also be present.