TEHRAN - In a statement issued on Wednesday, Iran, Russia, and Turkey insisted on Syrian sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

The statement followed after deputy foreign ministers from Iran, Russia and Turkey and Syria met in Astana, Kazakhstan, to reconcile Damascus and Ankara and discuss ways to return the situation tor normality in Syria. 

The meeting of the senior diplomats took place within the framework of the Astana Format. 

During the conflict in Syria, which began in 2011, Iran and Russia sided with the central government but Turkey supported the militants opposed to the government.

In their joint statement, the three countries, which are considered as guarantors of the Astana format, also reaffirmed their commitment to advance viable and lasting Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Following is the full text of the statement:

1. Examined the latest international and regional developments and emphasized the leading role of the Astana Process in promoting the lasting settlement of the Syrian crisis;

2. Reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic as well as to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and highlighted that these principles should be universally respected and complied with;

3. Noted the constructive spirit of the consultations of Deputy Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of Türkiye, which took place on 20 June 2023 in Astana, where they discussed progress in preparing the roadmap for the restoration of relations between Türkiye and Syria (in coordination with the work of the Ministries of Defence and special services of the four countries). Emphasized the importance of continued active efforts in this field pursuant to the arrangements reached at the quadrilateral meetings of Foreign Ministers on 10 May 2023 and Defence Ministers on 25 April 2023 in Moscow;

Recognized the importance of advancing this process on the basis of goodwill and good-neighborly relations to combat terrorism, create proper conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrians with the involvement of UNHCR, revitalize political process and ensure unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to the whole of Syria.

4. Expressed their determination to continue working together to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stand against separatist agendas aimed at undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and threatening the national security of the neighboring countries, including through cross-border attacks and infiltrations. Condemned activities of terrorist groups and their affiliates operating under different names in various parts of Syria, including the attacks targeting civilian facilities and IDP camps which result in loss of innocent lives. Highlighted the need to fully implement all arrangements related to the north of Syria;

5. Reviewed in detail the situation in the Idlib de-escalation area. Agreed to make further efforts to ensure a lasting normalization, including the humanitarian situation, in and around the Idlib de-escalation area. Emphasized the need to maintain calm on the ground by fully implementing all agreements on Idlib;

6. Discussed the situation in the north-east of the Syrian Arab Republic and agreed that constant security and stability in this region can only be achieved on the basis of preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Rejected all attempts to create new realities on the ground, including illegitimate self-rule initiatives under the pretext of combating terrorism. Reaffirmed their determination to confront separatist agendas that aim to undermine the unity of Syria and threaten the national security of neighbouring countries, including through cross-border attacks and infiltration also from the west of the Euphrates; 

Reiterated their opposition to the illegal seizure and transfer of oil revenues that should belong to Syria. Condemned the actions of countries supporting terrorist entities, including illegitimate self-rule initiatives in the north-east of Syria; 

Expressed grave concern with all forms of oppression by the separatist groups against civilians in east of Euphrates, including through suppression of peaceful demonstrations, forced conscription and discriminatory practices in the field of education as well as restrictions placed on political activities, journalists, right to assembly and freedom of movement.

7. Condemned the ongoing Israeli military attacks in Syria, including those targeting civilian objects. Considered these actions as a violation of international law, international humanitarian law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, and recognized them as destabilizing and exacerbating tensions in the region. Reaffirmed the need to abide by universally recognized international legal decisions, including the provisions of the relevant UN resolutions rejecting the occupation of the Syrian Golan, first and foremost UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 497, whereby all Israeli decisions and actions in this regard are deemed null and void and of no legal effect;

8. Expressed their conviction that there could be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and reaffirmed their commitment to advance viable and lasting Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated political process in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254;

9. Underlined the important role of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, established with the decisive contribution of the guarantor countries of the Astana Format for the implementation of the decisions of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, in promoting the political settlement of the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic; 

10. Called for holding without further delay the 9th round of the Drafting Commission of the Constitutional Committee while ensuring the constructive approach by the Syrian parties. In this regard, reaffirmed their commitment to support the Committee's work through continued engagement with the Syrian parties to the Committee and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen as facilitator to ensure its sustainable and effective work;

Stressed the need for the Constitutional Committee to pursue its activities without any bureaucratic and logistical barriers. Urged to immediately ensure all the necessary conditions for the unimpeded work of the Committee.

11. Expressed their conviction that the Constitutional Committee should abide in its work by the Terms of Reference and the Core Rules of Procedure to enable the Committee to carry out its mandate of preparing and drafting a constitutional reform that will be subject to popular approval, achieve progress in its work, seek compromise and ensure constructive engagement without foreign interference and externally imposed timelines in order to reach a general agreement among its members;

12. Expressed serious concern over the humanitarian situation in Syria further aggravated by the consequences of the devastating earthquake on 6 February 2023. Denounced all unilateral sanctions that violate international law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, including all selective measures and exemptions with respect to specific areas in Syria that could lead the country to collapse by facilitating the separatist agenda;

13. Emphasized the importance of continuing and increasing humanitarian assistance mandated by the UNSC resolution 2672. Welcomed the decision by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to authorize the use of its two border crossing points with Türkiye – Bab al-Salam and Al-Rai – by UN humanitarian agencies, as well as the extension of this permission for another three months, until 13 August 2023, in order to facilitate and increase urgent assistance to the areas affected by the earthquake of 6 February 2023. Emphasized the need to remove barriers and increase humanitarian assistance to all Syrians throughout the country without discrimination, politicization, or preconditions;

14. In order to help improve the humanitarian situation in Syria and achieve progress in political settlement, called on the international community, the United Nations and its humanitarian agencies to increase their assistance to the whole of Syria through the implementation of the early recovery and resilience projects, including through the restoration of basic infrastructure assets – water and electricity supply facilities, sanitation, health, education, schools and hospitals as well as the humanitarian demining projects in line with international humanitarian law;

15. Stressed the need to facilitate the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees and IDPs to their places of residence in Syria, and to ensure their right of return and right to be supported. In this context, called on the international community to provide the necessary support to the Syrian refugees and IDPs and reaffirmed their readiness to continue engaging with all relevant parties, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other specialized international agencies. Noted the importance for continuation of work to create necessary conditions in Syria for voluntary and dignified return of Syrians;

16. Reiterated their determination to continue operations on the mutual release of detainees/abductees within the framework of the Working Group on the Release of Detainees/Abductees, the Handover of the Bodies and Identification of Missing Persons, which is a unique mechanism that has proved both necessary and effective in building confidence between the Syrian parties. Decided to continue the Group’s work on efforts to ensure the release of detainees/abductees and expand its operations on the handover of bodies and the identification of missing persons in line with its mandate;

17. Welcomed the participation of the delegations of Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon as observers of the Astana format as well as representatives of the United Nations and the ICRC;

18. Expressed their sincere gratitude to the Kazakhstan authorities for holding the 20th Astana format International Meeting on Syria in Astana;

19. Noted the agreement to hold the next Summit in the Russian Federation as enshrined in the Joint Statement of the Tripartite Summit of 19 July 2022;

20. Agreed to convene the 21st International Meeting on Syria in the second half of 2023.