MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax) - Holding the Geneva II international conference on Syria without Iran will be a profanation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"If this list [of countries invited] does not include Iran, then, in my opinion, the conference will resemble a profanation," Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow on Monday.
Over 40 countries, including Australia, Brazil and South Korea, have received invitations, Lavrov said.
"And all these invited ministers will engage in discussions with appeals they will address, I hope, to the government and the opposition to agree between themselves on the future of their people upon the principles stipulated in the Geneva communique," the Russian minister said.