Russia, Iran host talks in Moscow aimed at Syria-Turkey rapprochement

Senior diplomats from Russia, Turkey, Syria and Iran wrap up two days of talks in Moscow, part of the Kremlin’s efforts to help broker a rapprochement between the Turkish and Syrian governments.

Russian and Turkish foreign ministries issue terse readouts, saying the diplomats have discussed preparations for a planned meeting of the four countries’ foreign ministers. Moscow describes the consultations as “frank and direct,” and Ankara says they were held in a “transparent and clear manner,” while offering no details.

Ayman Sousan, Syria’s deputy foreign minister who attended the talks in Moscow, thanks Russia and Iran for their help in “confronting terrorism” in remarks carried by the state news agency SANA. Sousan blasts other countries that “took advantage of the situation created by this war to illegally send their forces to Syria” and supported “terrorist groups.”