Iran’s FM meets Fidan in Turkey as rift over Syria persists: What we know
While the top Iranian and Turkish diplomats agree on the need for de-escalation in Syria, the two countries' positions remain divergent.
ANKARA — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, were unable to bridge their disagreements over Syria in their meeting Monday but agreed to hold further talks amid a major escalation between their rival proxy forces in Syria.
Araghchi traveled to Ankara following a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Sunday as Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and their Turkish-backed rebel allies advanced eastward from the northwestern Syrian region of Idlib. They seized a series of strategic locations from Syrian government forces backed by Iran as well as Russia. While Turkey backs Syrian opposition groups fighting against Assad, Tehran is a key backer of the Syrian government.
Araghchi, who described the roughly two-hour meeting as “very frank, direct and of course friendly,” repeated his country's claims that the rebels’ latest offensive was an Israeli plot.
“As the Islamic Republic of Iran, we once again emphasize our unwavering support for the Syrian people, the Syrian government and the Syrian Army,” Araghchi said, flanked by Fidan during a joint presser after the meeting.
