Iran invited to join Syria peace talks

Iran will likely be invited to an upcoming international summit on the growing crisis in Syria, the State Department said Tuesday, stoking ire among critics of the Obama administration’s foreign policy.

Iran’s presence at the new round of diplomatic talks later this week in Vienna, Austria, would be a change in international efforts to halt the Syrian violence, and a reflection of the changing environment following Russia’s foray onto the battlefield.

According to The Associated Press, Russia extended the invitation and Iran has yet to reply.

{mosads}“We do expect in this case that Iran will be invited to participate,” State Department spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters, while noting that the situation had yet to be finalized.

“There are many stakeholders in Syria and what’s going on,” Kirby added. “Iran — though we do not certainly by any means approve of the destabilizing activities that they continue to pursue in Syria … at some point in the discussion, moving towards a political transition, we have to have a conversation and a dialogue with Iran. “

“Whether they accept that invitation is up to them, and if they do accept, at what level they want to … participate is up to Teheran,” Kirby said on Tuesday.

The next round of diplomatic talks starts on Thursday. Secretary of State John Kerry is attending on behalf of the U.S., and he will meet with a range of officials from Russia and other European and Arab nations.

The civil war in Syria has left more than 250,000 people dead, and created a yawning vacuum into which extremists, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, have stepped. Last month, Russia began an airstrike campaign against targets within Syria and signed an agreement to share intelligence with Iran and Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

News of Iran’s possible participation in talks to stem the violence was met with opposition from defense hawks who have accused the White House of being too eager to negotiate with geopolitical adversaries, such as Iran.

“It is a further sign that the president is abandoning his call for Assad to step aside,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said in a statement. “And it shows that instead of isolating Iran and pushing back on the ayatollahs’ push for regional hegemony, the president is elevating Iran’s prestige and influence.

“That is dangerous for U.S. interests and a threat to world stability.”

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) added that the Obama administration’s stance was “foolish and dangerous.”

“Pretending to be constructive participants in international diplomacy only buys Iran and Russia time to achieve the ends they seek on the battlefield,” he said.

Internationally, Saudi Arabia has been particularly opposed to Iran playing a role in Syria.

On Tuesday, President Obama spoke with Saudi King Salman and “committed to increasing support for the moderate Syrian opposition and cooperating closely to build on the constructive talk,” the White House said.