NNA - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hoped the impending Geneva peace talks on Syria would lead to free elections in the war-torn country, in remarks made following his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki.



"Geneva conference, scheduled for January 22, must pave the way for holding free elections fully and with no prior conditions," he said.


"It is a joint responsibility to defend the demands of the Syrian people," he added, stressing that the conference must lead to the total expulsion of terrorists.


==========R.A.H.