Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Islamic Republic of Iran should be invited to the international conference that would be held on Syria at the weekend in Geneva.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Islamic Republic of Iran should be invited to the international conference that would be held on Syria at the weekend in Geneva.

At a news conference following talks with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Putin said:   "It is better to involve Iran in the settlement (of the Syrian crisis).”
"In any case it would complicate the process (if Iran is ignored)."

"The more Syria's neighbors are involved in the settlement process the better. Ignoring these possibilities, these interests would be counterproductive, as diplomats say," he added.

"It is better to secure its support," the Russian leader said on Tuesday, according to AFP.

TALKS WITHOUT IRAN LESS PRODUCTIVE
For his part, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who accompanied Putin, told reporters separately that Moscow believes Iran has to be invited to the meeting on Saturday.

"It should certainly be done," he said, adding that he would take part in the summit, and indicating that talks without Iran would be less productive.
Lavrov also described Iran’s attending at the conference as a chance that should be used, adding that if the Islamic Republic was not invited "then all those who can really influence all the main Syrian sides will not be present."

He hinted that there is still a chance Iran might be invited.
"We have an understanding among the most active organizers of the conference," Lavrov said.

UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who wants to gather the major powers in Geneva in a final bid to get agreement on a political transition plan for Syria, has yet to officially announce the meeting.