TEHRAN- Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has said that Damascus seeks to boost ties between Iran and Arab states.

Speaking with Russia’s RT Arabic television news network in Damascus on Sunday, the top Syrian diplomat hailed the détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Regarding ties with Turkey, he highlighted that “Damascus would not normalize relations with Turkey, which occupies swathes of land in Syria.”

He noted that President Bashar al-Assad is reluctant to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan until Turkey totally withdraws its armed forces from Syria’s northern region.

Assad said in March that a meeting with Erdogan wouldn’t be worthwhile until Turkey’s “illegal occupation” is over.

“This is linked to arriving at a stage where Turkey would clearly be ready and without any ambiguity to exit completely from Syrian territory and end its support of terrorism and restore the situation that prevailed before the start of the war on Syria,” Assad said.

Mekdad also said the region’s ill-wishers include the U.S., the Zionist regime, and their allies, adding that Damascus wants better connections between Arab countries and Tehran.

The foreign minister also stated that Syria supports Russia’s special military operations in Ukraine and that the Russian army is on a winning streak.