TEHRAN — Any humanitarian assistance to Syria must go through the government and respect the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a top Iranian diplomat has said.

Ali Asghar Khaji, who serves as the Iranian foreign minister's senior advisor in special political affairs, made the remarks as Iran, Russia and Turkey held 16th round of talks on Syria within the Astana process on Thursday.

At the end of the talks in Astana, renamed Nur-Sultan, Khaji told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that the main decision to resolve the Syrian issue must be made by the government and people of the country. 

He pointed out that during the tripartite meeting on the final statement of the committee, Iran’s views were in unanimous with other members, including Turkey and Russia. 

The Iranian diplomat said that everyone should remember that the participants are not "making a decision" on the Syrian issue, but putting forward their own opinions to help the Syrian government and people make the final decision. 

The situation in Syria, the activities of the Syrian Constitutional Council in Geneva, international assistance, the exchange of prisoners, the release of hostages and other measures were on the agenda of the talks in Kazakhstan.
 
At the end of the talks, Iran, Russia, and Turkey announced in a joint statement that they will continue to cooperate until Daesh and other terrorist organizations are completely eliminated in Syria. 

The Syrian government and armed opposition groups were present in the meeting.  Senior representatives from the United Nations, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq also attended the talks, which are aimed to end the long-running crisis in Syria. 

The Astana talks, started in 2017, were initiated by Russia, Turkey, and Iran to provide an international forum for the Syrian opposition and government to build a consensus. 

The statement also condemned “continuing Israeli military attacks in Syria which violate international law, international humanitarian law, the sovereignty of Syria and neighboring countries, endanger the stability and security in the region and called for cessation of them.”

According to IRNA, in the joint statement the three guarantor countries called for full implementation of what agreed in the forum and to maintain stability in Idlib. 

According to the statement, Iran, Russia, and Turkey “reaffirmed their determination to stand against separatist agendas in the east of the Euphrates aimed at undermining the unity of Syria as well as threatening the national security of neighboring countries. Expressed concern, in this regard, with the increasing hostilities against civilians.”

The also “reiterated their opposition to the illegal seizure and transfer of oil revenues that should belong to the Syrian Arab Republic.”

SA/PA