U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has withdrawn an invitation for Iran to attend the Syria peace talks after pressure from the United States. A spokesperson said Iran had reneged on a pledge to support a transitional government in Syria, the basis for Wednesday’s meeting in Switzerland.

Martin Nesirky: “In a series of meetings and telephone conversations, senior Iranian officials assured the secretary-general that Iran understood and supported the basis and goal of the conference, including the Geneva Communiqué. The secretary-general is deeply disappointed by Iranian public statements today that are not at all consistent with that stated commitment. He continues to urge Iran to join the global consensus behind the Geneva Communiqué. Given that it has chosen to remain outside that basic understanding, he has decided that the one-day Montreux gathering will proceed without Iran’s participation.”

Ban’s move came just one day after he had announced Iran’s attendance. That prompted demands by the United States and Saudi Arabia for the United Nations to rescind Iran’s invitation, and threats by the Syrian opposition to boycott the talks.