Iran�s Deputy Foreign Minister said that International Syria Support Group (ISSG) is having laborious discussions on a list of terrorist organizations.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) � The International Syria Support Group (ISSG) is having laborious discussions on�a list of�terrorist organizations, Iran�s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told Sputnik on�Friday.
"Discussion is very difficult about�terrorism group lists and we are trying," Amir-Abdollahian said on�the sidelines of�the meeting.


Earlier on�Friday, 18 foreign ministers of�the ISSG started negotiations in�New York City. Participants of�the talks include UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, UN envoy to�Syria Staffan de Mistura, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US State Secretary John Kerry, Arab League and Organization of�Islamic Cooperation representatives.

Lavrov has told reporters that the atmosphere at�the meeting is "normal."

On Thursday, Kerry said the United States and Russia managed to�narrow divisions related to�Syrian terrorist designations during�talks in�Moscow. He underscored that US and Russian differences over�the terrorists list would not hinder the Syrian peace process.

World and regional leaders of�the ISSG are tasked with�drafting a UN Security Council resolution to�settle the nearly five-year Syrian crisis, upholding commitments reached at�the second ISSG round�in November.

The views of�Iran and Russia on�the list of�Syrian terrorist organizations, discussed by�the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in�New York, are similar, Iran�s Deputy Foreign Minister said.
"We had some negotiations about�terrorist groups list and there is a difference [in] idea who are terrorist groups," Amir-Abdollahian said. "Tehran and Moscow position is close, and we are trying. "


Syria has been mired in�civil war since�2011, with�Damascus fighting against�numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. The international talks on�settlement of�the Syrian crisis started in�October. During the second round�of talks in�the so-called Vienna format in�November, the negotiators called for�elections in�Syria to�be held within�18 months.

By Sputnik