Iran, Russia, Turkey, and UN Discuss Syrian Crisis at General Assembly

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discussed the ongoing crisis in Syria with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen, according to Iran’s official news agency IRNA. The talks occurred on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly session in New York.

Operating under the Astana process framework, initiated in 2017 by Iran, Russia, and Turkey, the meeting focused on Syria’s economic woes, Western sanctions, and terrorism. Amir-Abdollahian expressed concern over Syria’s humanitarian situation, urging for the lifting of unilateral sanctions that violate international law.

The minister also called on the international community to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. He asked the UN to consider plans and allocate financial support for the necessary infrastructure to allow the return of Syrian refugees. Solutions were also suggested to address border issues between Syria and Turkey.

Representatives from Russia, Turkey, and the UN also shared their perspectives on resolving Syria’s complex issues during the meeting.