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Conflict in Syria

Putin, Iranian president agree to continue coordination of efforts on Syria — Kremlin

It was noted that thanks to the coordinated Russian-Iranian efforts it became possible to preserve Syria’s statehood and exterminate a large nest of international terrorism

MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. Russian and Iranian Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Ebrahim Raisi agreed to continue coordinating efforts toward the Syrian settlement, the Kremlin press service said on Tuesday after their telephone conversation.

"It was noted that thanks to the coordinated Russian-Iranian efforts it became possible to preserve Syria’s statehood and exterminate a large nest of international terrorism," it said. "Both sides expressed commitment for further coordination on the Syrian settlement, including within the Astana format."

According to the Kremlin press service, the presidents "discussed in detail current issues on the international agenda." Apart from that, they "discussed key issues of bilateral cooperation, including the implementation of large-scale joint investment projects and combating the novel coronavirus infection," it added.

Russia, Iran, and Turkey are the guarantor nations of the Syrian settlement in the so-called Astana format. The 16th international high-level meeting on Syria was held in Nur-Sultan (former Astana) on July 7-8. It was attended by delegations from the guarantor nations, the Syrian government, and the armed opposition. Topics included: the situation in Syria, international humanitarian assistance, prospects for the resumption of the work of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva, and trust-building measures, such as the exchange of prisoners, the release of hostages, and the search for missing persons.

It was reported earlier on Tuesday that Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry is ready to organize an Astana-format international meeting on Syria in Nur-Sultan after December 20.

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Foreign policy Syrian conflict

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