Iran delegation holds separate meetings on Astana talks
Ali Asghar Khaji, a senior aide to the Iranian foreign minister, separately met with deputy foreign ministers of Turkey, Syria, and Russia on the sidelines of the latest round of Astana talks on the Syrian conflict, which is also focused on restoring ties between Damascus and Ankara.
Deputy foreign ministers from Turkey, Russia, and Iran, as the guarantor states, came together for the 20th round of Astana talks in the eponymous Kazakh city on Tuesday morning to discuss ways to resolve the Syrian conflict, according to IRNA.
Representatives of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and militant groups opposed to it are also participating in the talks, which are expected to continue on Wednesday as well.
On the sidelines of the quadrilateral meeting, the Iranian delegation, led by Khaji, exchanged views with the Turkish delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akçapar, on the latest developments between Syria and Turkey.
They agreed that negotiations between Ankara and Damascus must continue until their relations return back to normal. Both sides also underscored the importance of respecting national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the independence of Syria.
The Iranian delegation also held discussions with the Syrian delegation, headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Susan.
Separately, Khaji and his accompanying delegation met with the Russian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. The two sides discussed the latest developments in the region and ways to resolve differences between Damascus and Ankara.
They also emphasized respecting Syria’s sovereignty and the need to fight terrorism.