Iran-authored Syria plan en route to UN

Not much can be done for Syria until major Middle East players agree to put aside their differences and form a united front against the Islamic State — and Iran has a four-step plan for the next phase.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) and his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moualem (3rd R) hold a meeting in Tehran August 5, 2015. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with officials from allies Iran and Russia that are expected to focus on efforts to end the civil war in his country. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) and his Syrian counterpart Walid Moallem (R) hold a meeting in Tehran, Aug. 5, 2015. - REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi
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Ali Hashem
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There is no way to save Syria unless Middle Eastern countries unite to battle the Islamic State (IS), an Egyptian diplomatic source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

“Nothing can be done to save Syria unless the main parties make a decision to stop fighting” among themselves, said the diplomat. “It’s for Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar to decide to stop fighting and sit at a roundtable or else all attempts will be lost in the wind.”

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