Via AFP:
The United Nations on Tuesday strongly defended Iran's exclusion from Syria peace talks after criticism from Russia and the Tehran government.
Iran failed to come up with a promised written statement on the Syria conflict and so UN leader Ban Ki-moon was forced to act, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.
Haq also said Ban was anxious that countries attending the talks, which start in Montreux, Switzerland, on Wednesday, were negotiating "in good faith."
Ban rescinded an invitation to Iran on Monday just 24 hours after announcing that the ally of President Bashar al-Assad would be at...
