WANA (Dec 02) – The Kremlin announced that, at the initiative of the Iranian side, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call on Monday with Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to discuss the latest developments in Syria following recent events.

 

The primary focus of their conversation was the critical situation in the Syrian Arab Republic.

 

The Iranian and Russian presidents described the widespread assaults by terrorist groups and factions as attempts to undermine Syria’s sovereignty, political stability, and socio-economic conditions.

 

During the phone call, Pezeshkian and Putin reaffirmed their unconditional support for the legitimate Syrian authorities’ efforts to restore constitutional order and preserve the country’s territorial integrity.

 

They also emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts within the framework of the “Astana Format” with the participation of Turkey.

 

The two leaders further discussed ongoing developments in bilateral cooperation, including agreements reached during their recent bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan.

 

Terrorist Attacks in Syria’s Northwestern Regions

Since Wednesday morning, terrorist groups, backed by certain countries and reinforced by foreign fighters, launched large-scale attacks on Syrian army positions in northwestern, western, and southwestern Aleppo. These operations violated the 2020 ceasefire agreement, as the region is part of the “de-escalation zone” established under the Astana accord, guaranteed by Turkey, covering parts of Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia.

 

In 2017, Iran, Russia, and Turkey, as guarantors of the Astana peace process, established four de-escalation zones in Syria. By 2018, three zones returned to Syrian government control. However, the fourth zone, encompassing Idlib and parts of Latakia, Hama, and Aleppo, remains under the control of terrorist groups, predominantly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra).

 

Russia’s Continued Support for Syria

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Russia’s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad amidst the recent terrorist activities. Peskov stated that Russia is analyzing the situation in Syria and formulating its stance on measures needed to stabilize the region. He added that Russia will maintain contacts at appropriate levels to address these issues.

 

Andrey Rudenko, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, confirmed that Moscow is in close contact with Iranian and Turkish representatives regarding the Syrian situation and has not ruled out the possibility of a trilateral meeting to address these issues. Rudenko expressed Russia’s readiness for such a meeting.

 

Iran and Turkey’s Stance on Syrian Stability

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara, emphasized the importance of safeguarding the achievements of the Astana Process. The two sides agreed to convene the next meeting of foreign ministers under the Astana framework soon.

 

Araghchi noted that Takfiri terrorist groups active in Syria have close ties with the United States and Israel, which encourage these groups to destabilize Syria to divert attention from Israeli crimes in Palestine and Lebanon. He reaffirmed Iran’s unwavering support for the Syrian government, army, and people, stressing the importance of Syria’s stability for regional peace.

 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan highlighted Turkey’s consistent support for Syria’s territorial integrity, vowing to prevent terrorist organizations from exploiting instability in the region.