---
title: "Iran Hails Thaw in Turkish/Syrian Relations"
type: "post"
post_id: "3723"
slug: "iran-hails-thaw-in-turkish-syrian-relations"
canonical: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2023/01/17/iran-hails-thaw-in-turkish-syrian-relations/"
markdown_url: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2023/01/17/iran-hails-thaw-in-turkish-syrian-relations.md"
json_url: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2023/01/17/iran-hails-thaw-in-turkish-syrian-relations.json"
txt_url: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2023/01/17/iran-hails-thaw-in-turkish-syrian-relations.txt"
published: "2023-01-17T17:51:41+00:00"
modified: "2023-01-17T17:51:41+00:00"
author: "penny2"
categories:
  - "Uncategorized"
tags:
  - "Birth Pangs"
  - "Iran"
  - "Israel"
  - "Kurds"
  - "Russia"
  - "Turkey"
site_name: "PFYT2"
publisher: ""
language: "en-US"
generator: "easyPress Markdown"
generator_version: "1.0.6"
---
[Link](https://www.digitaljournal.com/world/iran-hails-thaw-in-turkeys-ties-with-syria/article)– Digital Journal

> **Iran on Tuesday hailed the resumption of the first direct ministerial talks between arch-rivals Ankara and Damascus since the outbreak of the Syria civil war more than a decade ago.**
> 
> **But Damascus ally Russia managed to arrange the first direct meeting between the Syrian and Turkish defence ministers since 2011 in Moscow in December.**
> 
> **More meetings are tentatively being planned for the coming weeks aimed at paving the way for a landmark peace summit between Erdogan and Assad.**
> 
> **Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian — whose government also strongly backs Assad — said Tehran fully supported the reconciliation efforts.**
> 
> ***“We are very pleased by the fact that relations between Damascus and Ankara are undergoing change,”* Amir-Abdollahian told reporters after talks in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.**
> 
> ***“We believe any positive development in relations between Ankara and Damascus will benefit our region and our countries,” the Iranian foreign minister said.***
> 
> **`Amir-Abdollahian <span style="text-decoration: underline;">flew into Ankara fresh from a visit to Damascus</span> for talks with Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on Saturday.`**
> 
> ![](https://i0.wp.com/pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-19.png?resize=516%2C371&ssl=1)

**Interesting? Amir-Abdollahian in Ankara right after a visit to Damascus.**

> ***Cavusoglu said he intended to hold his first official meeting with Mekdad “in the upcoming period”.***
> 
> ***“Today, we emphasised that Iran’s contribution to this process is very important,”*** Cavusoglu said.

**US Concerns**

> **Washington’s relations with Ankara are already strained by US support for Kurdish forces in northern Syria that Erdogan views as “terrorists”.**
> 
> **Some analysts believe that Russia is hoping Damascus and Ankara can unite in their shared desire to push the US forces out of Syria.**
> 
> ***The US State Department said this month that it did not “support countries upgrading their relations or expressing support to rehabilitate the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad”.***