Türkiye, Russia, Iran and Syria hold "constructive" talks

The defence ministers and intelligence chiefs of Türkiye, Russia, Iran and Syria held "constructive" talks in Moscow on Tuesday, Ankara said, amid efforts to rebuild Ankara-Damascus ties after years of animosity during the Syrian war.

The Turkish Defence Ministry statement said the ministers and intelligence service chiefs discussed strengthening security in Syria and the normalisation of ties between Ankara and Damascus in the meeting.

The meeting on the Syria issue addressed the concrete steps that can be taken to normalize the Türkiye-Syria relations, the ministry said in a statement.

The statement came after Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) head Hakan Fidan attended a meeting with his counterparts in Russia's capital.

"Quadrilateral meeting on Syria issue discussed fight against terrorist organizations and all extremist groups on Syrian territory," it added.

Turkish, Russian, Iranian, and Syrian defense and intelligence chiefs also discussed stepping up efforts to return Syrian refugees to their country, the ministry said.

The parties also reiterated their respect for Syria's territorial integrity.

"As a result of the meeting, which was held in a constructive atmosphere, the importance of the continuation of the meetings in the quadrilateral format was emphasized to ensure and maintain stability in Syria and the region as a whole," the statement read.

Last December, defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Türkiye, Russia, and the Syrian regime met in Moscow and agreed to continue tripartite meetings to ensure stability in Syria and the wider region.

Iran was also included in the talks, with Türkiye previously saying that Ankara would be "pleased if Iran is involved in this process."

Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu signalled that a meeting between the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Russia, Iran, and the Syrian regime is likely to be held in early May in Moscow.

Although no date or location has yet been announced, the foreign ministers' meeting would continue restarting high-level talks between Türkiye and its neighbour Syria since the civil war in the country began in 2011.