Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has strongly opposed moves by Saudi Arabia to allow “terrorists in a new mask” to sit down for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition.

“Terrorists with a new mask should not sit down at a negotiating table with the representatives of the Syrian authorities,” Reuters quoted him as saying in a news conference during a visit to Russia on Thursday.

He added, “This is the most important condition.”

Syria peace talks were scheduled to be held in Geneva on Friday.

Amir-Abdollahian called on Saudi Arabia to stop actions which has increased tension in the Middle East. He said that Riyadh was trying to raise its influence at the Geneva talks by including “terrorists” in the opposition lists.

“We believe that Saudi Arabia’s insistence on including recognizable terrorists ... in one list or another, is certainly not a constructive action on its part,” he noted.