France Calls on Iran, Russia to Help Ensure Syria Ceasefire
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The French government condemned a recent deadly bombing in Damascus, which killed and injured dozens of people, calling on Iran and Russia to put pressure on Syrian parties in the upcoming Astana talks and ensure a ceasefire in the Arab country.
"There is more than ever urgency to ensure that ceasefire is respected in Syria," the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday, Reuters reported.
"France calls on the truce guarantors, especially Russia and Iran, who will meet in Astana next week, to put pressure on parties to ensure that ceasefire is fully respected,” it added.
Russian-backed peace talks are due to take place in Astana on March 14-15.
The remarks by the French ministry came after at least 70 people were killed and more than 120 others wounded after two bomb blasts hit the Old City of Damascus in Syria on Saturday.
Over the past almost six years, Syria has been fighting foreign-sponsored militancy. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimated in August that more than 400,000 people had been killed in the Syrian crisis until then. The UN has stopped its official casualty count in Syria, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.
