Iran is incapable of resolving Syria crisis, says Saudi ambassador to U.N.

Saudi Arabia’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Abdullah al-Mouallami, said Iran is incapable of securing peace in Syria because of the support it provides to President Bashar al-Assad.

In an interview published in the London-based al-Hayat newspaper Wednesday, Mouallami said the “negative role” Tehran is playing in Syria means it is unable to establish peace in the war-torn country. Nor can it take part in developing the country in a post-Assad era, said the ambassador.

The Saudi U.N. ambassador also criticized Iran’s support of the Lebanese militia group, Hezbollah.

Mouallami described Tehran’s support of Hezbollah as interference in the affairs of Arab countries.

In the same vein, the Saudi ambassador stressed that proposed peace talks in Geneva over the Syrian conflict should strive for a real transition of power.

If the Geneva talks fail to make that happen, the future of a post-Assad Syria will be “ambiguous,” Mouallami added.

The U.N., United States and Russia want the long-delayed Geneva talks to be held in November. However, the Syrian National Council (SNC), which is the biggest bloc within the Syrian opposition coalition, said it would not join the proposed talks.

The SNC said it would not enter any negotiations before the fall of Assad’s regime. The U.S. has been trying to persuade the SNC to drop its refusal to join the planned talks.