The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday Moscow believes “influential states of the region, among them Iran,” should be invited to the Geneva II international peace conference for Syria.

Russia opposes military intervention in Syria as such a move “can only escalate the already extremely complex situation in that country, augment the suffering of its population and reduce the chances for an agreement between the Syrian sides," the statement said.

The Geneva II conference, which will be a follow-up to an earlier one held in June 2012, had been proposed by Moscow and Washington on May 7, but was delayed for several months.

On November 25, however, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the long-delayed event will be held on January 22, 2014.

On December 5, Ban also stressed the necessity of inviting Iran to the Geneva II conference as Tehran “can play an important role.”

"Iran should be invited to this meeting (Geneva II). I and [UN-Arab League] Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi had made it clear in the past that Iran should be invited to this meeting,” he said.

RA/NJF