<\/p>\n
France said Friday it is opposed to having Iran attend a peace conference on Syria despite Damascus’s ally Russia<\/a> wanting Tehran’s presence at the event expected in the first half of June.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said: “We do not want Iran. The Syrian crisis is contagious and affects the entire zone. Regional stability is at stake and we cannot see how a country (Iran) that threatens this stability can participate in this conference.”<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The new talks are meant to include both the fiercest rebels and members of the regime — a difficulty considering some opposition members’ refusal to recognise President Bashar al-Assad as a negotiating partner.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Moscow is also calling for the inclusion on this occasion of its trading partner Iran and US ally Saudi Arabia<\/a> as a counterweight.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Geneva talks were agreed during a May 7 visit to Moscow by US Secretary of State John Kerry and are seen as a rare joint peace push by the two former Cold War rivals some 26 months into the Syrian war.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n