Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a conversation on the telephone on Saturday for the fourth time during the last weeks of 2016..
The two sides discussed the cooperation between Iran, Russia and Syria for holding talks between the Syrian government and the opposition in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
While congratulating New Year 2017 to Russian president and nation, Rouhani noted that the Islamic Republic welcomes ceasefire accomplished thanks to cooperation between Iran, Russia, Turkey and Syria.
"Yet more consultation and coordination is necessary before the Astana meeting," Rouhani noted.
President Rouhani highly regarded the continuation of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, especially in cities where are still under siege of terrorists; "it is very important to protect the ceasefire after the recent victories," he noted.
President Putin called the ceasefire a product of consultation and cooperation among all countries seeking peace and security in Syria, especially Iran and Russia.
"Our duty is to preserve existing achievements and at the same time continue the joint struggle against international terrorism," Putin added.
Russian president stressed the need for intensive consultations between the foreign ministers of the two countries before the negotiations of Syrian groups in the capital of Kazakhstan; "we are ready to work with groups in Syria willing to walk in the peaceful path; we certainly will not let the ceasefire include terrorist groups like ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and similar ones."
The Iranian and Russian chief executives had also held phone talks on November 28, December 19, and 24.
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