© Natalia Kolesnikova, AFP | Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attend a press conference in Moscow on December 20.

Text by FRANCE 24  / Latest update : 2016-12-20

Russia, Iran and Turkey agree that the priority in Syria is fighting “terrorism” and not the removal of Bashar al-Assad, Russian Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov told reporters after a tripartite summit on Tuesday in Moscow.

Lavrov welcomed Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the Russian capital for talks on the Syrian conflict as the evacuation of the last rebel-held enclave in Aleppo continued.

“Right now the evacuation is wrapping up,” Lavrov said at a joint press conference. “We hope that this is a question of one or a maximum of two days.”

The three countries agreed to guarantee that Syria peace talks would go forward and backed the expansion of a ceasefire in the war-torn country.

“Iran, Russia and Turkey are ready to assist in preparing the agreement in the making between the Syrian government and the opposition and to become its guarantor,” Lavrov said, citing a joint statement.

“The ministers agree with the importance of widening the ceasefire [and] of free access for humanitarian aid and movement of civilians on Syrian territory,” he added.

Russia and Iran are on one side of the Syrian conflict…. read more here