The foreign ministers of Iran and Russia reaffirmed their support for Syria on Saturday as rebel forces launched a large-scale offensive in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Iranian state media reported that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov held a phone call to discuss the escalating conflict.
Araqchi accused Israel and the US of orchestrating the rebel attacks as part of a broader plan to destabilize the region. Lavrov, in a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, echoed concerns over the “dangerous escalation” and condemned the offensive by what he termed “terrorist groups.”
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“The ministers expressed extreme concern about the situation and emphasized the need to intensify joint efforts to stabilize Syria,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. This comes after Lavrov held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to address the conflict.
The rebel offensive, spearheaded by Islamist factions such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, represents one of the most significant challenges to President Bashar al-Assad in years. Syrian forces, backed by Russian air support, are reportedly regrouping and launching counterattacks against rebel advances.
The offensive marks a dramatic resurgence of conflict in Syria, a country that has been embroiled in a brutal civil war since 2011.