TEHRAN
The UN Special Representative for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, is set to arrive in Iran on Sunday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Syria with the country’s senior officials, Iranian officials have said.
He is scheduled to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani, to discuss Syria, which continues to suffer a three-year civil war which the United Nations has described as being the world's "worst humanitarian crisis."
Mistura's trip to Iran comes after he arrived in Lebanon on October 16 for discussions with Lebanese President Tammam Salam, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem.
Mistura said during his visit: "The international community is very concerned about the stability of Lebanon which has been paying a heavy price both in numbers and in vicinity and proximity to ... the ongoing conflict in Syria."
About 1.2 million Syrians who have fled the civil war in their country have sought refuge in Lebanon and the number will hit 1.5 million by the end of the year, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency.
Mistura will travel to Turkey after his visit to Tehran.
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