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Syria and Iran should be engaged in fighting against terrorism, Lavrov says

“We have to engage Syria and we have to engage the Syrian government, including on the fight against terrorism,” Lavrov said

MOSCOW, September 28 /ITAR-TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in New York that it was necessary to engage Syria and Iran in fighting against terrorism.

“We have to engage Syria and we have to engage the Syrian government, including on the fight against terrorism,” Lavrov said.

“I am glad that eventually the understanding that terrorism is a much bigger threat than the continued presidency of Assad, this understanding is now accepted basically,” Lavrov told Bloomberg.

The Russian foreign minister described as “not logical at all” the refusal of President Barrack Obama’s administration to cooperate with Syria after a deal on destruction of Syria’s chemical arsenal had been struck last year.

Lavrov also stressed the need to cooperate with Iran in the fight against ISIL.

“Iran of course should be part of efforts to fight ISIL because Iran is the strong opponent of this group. To ignore Iran in this fight and not to invite it for cooperation is a mistake just like it is a mistake not to consult with the Syrian government and not to cooperate with it,” the Russian foreign minister said.