Russia, Iran Say Future of Assad a Matter for Syrians

People inspect a site hit by what activists said were air strikes by forces loyal to Syria's President
Bashar Assad on a marketplace in the Douma neighborhood of Damascus, Syria.

Russia and Iran said on Monday that Syrian groups must decide the future of Bashar al-Assad, with Moscow opposing any pre-negotiated exit of the Syrian president as part of a peace deal.

Speaking at a joint news conference, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, reiterated their countries' backing for Assad in the conflict, which has killed around a quarter of a million people since 2011.

The future of Assad remains a sticking point in diplomatic efforts by regional and global players to end the Syria crisis — one that talks in recent weeks between Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United States, among others, have failed to resolve. Syrian opposition groups, Arab Gulf States and the West want Assad to go.

Russia, a long-standing ally and arms supplier to Assad, says all sides must now join ranks to fight Islamic State, a militant Sunni group that has captured a vast territory in Syria and neighboring Iraq.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russia-iran-say-future-of-assad-a-matter-for-syrians/528070.html

Russia, Iran Say Future of Assad a Matter for Syrians.

Agreed. It is not a matter for Russia, the US, Iran, Iraq or anyone else. Supplying arms, fighters or diplomatic cover for one side or the other is not leaving things up to Syrians. Unfortunately, too many foreign countries see their 'interests' tied to the victory of one side or the other in Syria.