BEIRUT, November 29. /TASS/. Syria will do everything in its power to keep terrorists from seizing control of the country’s northern areas, Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabagh told his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.

"The Syrian foreign minister informed us about the battlefield situation after the attacks by terrorist groups on the country’s northern areas. He stressed that the Syrian government and people are doing their utmost to repel terrorist attacks and vowed that terrorists and their supporters will not succeed in achieving their diabolical goals," the Iranian foreign ministry said after their phone call.

The top Iranian diplomat noted that the increased terrorist activity in northern Syria is tied to "the US-Israeli plan to destabilize the region amid the Israeli regime’s failures in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon." Araghchi vowed that Tehran would "continue supporting Syria’s government, army and people in their fight against terrorism."

The Syrian army command reported on November 28 that units of the Jabhat al-Nusra extremist group (outlawed in Russia) had staged a large-scale attack on Syria’s northern governorates the day prior. The terrorists attempted to seize a number of neighborhoods and military facilities and attacked the positions of government forces.

Later, the Al Mayadeen television channel said that the Syrian government army had launched a counteroffensive on the militants’ positions after they seized 20 settlements to the north and west of the city of Aleppo.