PHOTO: The Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin

THURSDAY FEATURE

Analysis: Rumors of Russia’s Military Involvement Miss A Bigger Political Story
Iran Daily: Tehran Reviews Syrian Situation with Assad Regime and Hezbollah’s Nasrallah

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Russia is delaying the launch of an international investigation of chemical weapon attacks in Syria, according to “UN Security Council diplomats”.

The Russian Ambassador to the UN said the delay was for technical reasons.

Last week Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon outlined the plans for an investigation by the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The Security Council was supposed to respond to Ban’s letter within five days, but no reply came by the Tuesday deadline.

The unnamed diplomats said Russia, which holds the rotating Presidency of the Security Council this month, was hesitating. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin played down the concerns: “The most important thing is to make sure we know what is going to happen and the mechanism will work as effectively as it can.”

Churkin said he had sought written clarifications on how the investigation would proceed, including contributions for finance of the inquiries. He claimed the contributions could be used to influence the investigation to “depart from the impartiality which we hope it will display in the course of its work”.

Western diplomats said the Russians wanted a greater focus on the Islamic State rather than the Assad regime, with an expansion the inquiry to include Iraq.

Doctors and witnesses have said in the past month that the Islamic State has used chemicals, likely to be mustard agent, in attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan and northern Syria.

The Assad regime has used chemical weapons on numerous occasions, with more than 1,400 people dying near Damascus in August 2013 from sarin nerve agent. The regime subsequently agreed to hand over chemical stocks, but has continued to use chlorine in airstrikes.

Russia is stepping up its support for President Assad, renewing its commitment to his hold on power and stepping up the supply of military vehicles, weapons, and equipment.

See Syria Daily: Rumors of Russia’s Military Involvement Miss A Bigger Political Story

Assad Meets Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister

President Assad hosted Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Thursday.

No details were given of the meeting. Instead, Syrian State news agency SANA put out template statements such as Assad’s “Syria welcomes the efforts and contacts made by Iran with the aim of solving the Syrian crisis”.

SANA did implicitly refer to the recent Russian-Iranian initiative for high-level talks, blocked by Saudi Arabia last month: “The ideas put forth in the regional and international arena to activate the political track to solve the crisis in Syria were…on the table.”

The State news agency also features Iran’s renewed commitment to the President’s hold on power, quoting Abdollahian, “Iran appreciates and lauds the central and pivotal role of President al-Assad in preserving Syria’s national unity, combating terrorism, and his guaranteeing of leading Syria out of multiple crises that gripped it during the past few years.”

On Tuesday, Abdollahian told UN envoy Staffan de Mistura that Assad must be part of any plan for a transitional government.

Earlier, the Iranian Minister met Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem.

See Iran Daily: Tehran Reviews Syrian Situation with Assad Regime and Hezbollah’s Nasrallah

Video: Rescue Workers Retrieve Body After Regime Bombing in Southern Syria

Civil defense members retrieve a body after a regime airstrike on Dael in Daraa Province in southern Syria:

The Local Coordination Committees said 64 people, including 17 children and 10 women, were killed across Syria on Wednesday. Of the deaths, 45 were in and near Damascus.

The LCC is reporting more barrel bombs on Daraa Province this morning, including the town of Nawa near the Damascus-Daraa highway.