TEHRAN – The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey are set to meet in Kazakhstan next week as the three countries attempt to move forward with a plan to end nearly seven years of war in Syria.

Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the top diplomats will meet on March 16 in the capital Astana “without observers or Syrian sides”, Anadolu Agency reported.

The statement also said that the United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura would be invited to the meeting.

The Astana peace talks were launched on Jan. 23-24, 2017 with the aim of putting an end to the Syrian crisis.

MH/SP