TEHRAN— Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Sunday welcomed prisoner swap in Syria.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has said regarding the prisoner swap in Syria: The Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the three guarantors of the Astana peace process is pleased with the recent successful exchange of abductees and prisoners at Abu Zandin crossing in the eastern countryside of Aleppo. He underlined the need for the continuation of this humanitarian act.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman added that the prisoner swap was carried out on Friday, December 17, 2021, under the supervision of Iran and Russia by the Syrian Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross and saw the release of 10 captives by the Syrian government and opposition.

Khatibzadeh stressed that Iran wants parties involved to make more efforts to coordinate and facilitate prisoner exchanges in the future.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman in the end reiterated that Iran is trying to increase the number of prisoner swaps through the Astana guarantors, the Red Cross, the Syrian Red Crest and the Syrian sides and boost measures to build confidence between the two sides.