Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Damascus, Syria on 2 July, a few days after traveling to Ankara, Turkey, his first trip to the Turkish capital since assuming office in 2021.

The Iranian foreign minister and his delegation met with his Syrian counterpart Faysal Mikdad and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

After his arrival in Damascus International Airport, Amir-Abdollahian declared that the recent visit of President al-Assad to Tehran on 8 May marked a turning point in bilateral relations.

“During that trip, we entered a new phase of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, including in various economic and commercial fields,” the top Iranian diplomat recalled.

This latest round of talks in Damascus seeks to further strengthen bilateral ties.

The Iranian foreign minister condemned the recurring Israeli aggressions against Syria, stating that “along with the sanctions imposed on the resistant people of Syria, the Zionists seek to destabilize [Syria] and increase the problems of the Syrian people.”

Amir-Abdollahian also condemned Israel’s most recent aerial aggression carried out by Israel on southern Tartous in Syria, which left several civilians injured.

Israel’s attack on Tartous occurred early in the morning of 2 July, on the same day as the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Damascus.

Commenting on his meeting with Turkish officials in Ankara a few days earlier, Amir-Abdollahian emphasized that “Iran understands Turkey’s concerns on security issues.”

However, he also underscored Iran’s strong opposition to the use of military force against Syria to achieve those goals.

The Iranian foreign minister said that Iran is working as a mediator between the two countries in order to prevent military conflict and to settle disputes through diplomacy and dialogue.

The Turkish military initiated a new military campaign in Syria on 25 May, launching an offensive on several villages in the northwestern countryside of Hasakah governorate and the city of Afrin.

The campaign has targeted Kurdish militias, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the operation will resume efforts to establish a 30-kilometer long ‘safe zone’ along Turkey’s southern borders.