TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, plan to hold a videoconference on Syria within the framework of the Astana format.

Speaking to NTV broadcaster, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday that it was Iran's turn to host the next Astana summit, but they are mulling a trilateral meeting via videoconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Ankara and Moscow have agreed on the leaders' videoconference, and they are waiting for Iran's response about the date, Cavusoglu said.

According to Middle East Eye, the top officials will discuss the latest developments in Syria and solution to the crisis in the country, ISNA reported on Thursday.

In a trilateral meeting on Syria with his Russian and Turkish counterparts in Ankara in September 2019, the Iranian president stressed a few points to help revitalize the war-torn Syria.

The return of refugees to Syria, non-interference of foreign countries in Syria’s affairs, fighting terrorism, facilitating humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, and helping the formation of a constitution were among the points emphasized by Rouhani.

It was the fifth summit of its kind attended by Rouhani, Putin, and Erdogan as the host.

The Astana format was launched by Russia, Turkey and Iran in January 2017 in an effort to bring all warring parties in Syria to the negotiating table as a complementary part of the UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva. 

NA/PA