Iran's FM Welcomes Syria Truce
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed a recent nationwide truce that took effect in Syria on Friday as a "major achievement", calling for efforts to fight roots of “extremist terror”.
“Ceasefire in Syria is a major achievement. Let's build on it by tackling the roots of extremist terror,” Zarif said in a message posted on his Twitter account on Friday.
The ceasefire, announced Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin and confirmed by the Syrian army and opposition, does not include Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) and the Takfiri Jabhat Fateh al-Sham militant group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.
According to media reports, a new ceasefire plan was preceded by trilateral talks between Tehran, Moscow and Ankara.
Last week’s talks, which was conducted among the three countries at the level of foreign and defense ministers, resulted in a declaration which outlined the principles of a potential ceasefire.
“Iran, Russia and Turkey are ready to facilitate the drafting of an agreement, which is already being negotiated, between the Syrian government and the opposition, and to become its guarantors,” the document signed in Moscow on December 20 read.