TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani telephoned his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday saying that Tehran-Ankara-Moscow cooperation and consultation on Syria have proven “positive” and “influential” and called closer interaction between the three countries to bring an end to the conflict in the Syria.

“Today, disintegration-seeking plots are being hatched and efforts are being made to settle puppet states in the region and we should make efforts in line with countering security threats through expanding comprehensive cooperation,” Rouhani said.

Iran has been saying that the U.S. motive in deploying troops in Syria is intended to partition the war-torn country.

Rouhani also said that dialogue on Syria within the framework the Astana and Sochi meeting should continue.

He added that the terrorist groups should not be given an opportunity to resume their activities.

Elsewhere in his phone call with Erdogan, Rouhani said Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty must be respected.

For his part, Erdogan expressed hope that terrorists would be removed from all regions in Syria.

All the regional countries should be concerned about maintaining Syria’s territorial integrity, Erdogan noted.

He also highlighted the importance of Iran-Turkey-Russia cooperation and said any move to undermine the three countries’ efforts within the framework of the Astana and Sochi talks will not benefit the region. 

The latest round of the Sochi meetings was held on January 29 and 30.

Iran, Turkey and Russia brokered the Astana dialogue on Syria and the first five rounds of the talks were held on January 23-24, February 15-16, March 14-15, May 3-4 and July 4-5, 2017.

The sixth round of talks were held on September 13-15 and the seventh round in October.

NA/PA