ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to discuss developments in Syria in a previously unannounced meeting.
The two men met on Wednesday at the headquarters of Erdogan’s ruling party, according to video footage provided by the president’s office. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters the talks would focus on “bilateral issues and Syria.”
The surprise meeting comes as Syrian government forces are expected to mount an offensive in Syria’s northern Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in the country.
Erdogan is expected to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Iran on Sept. 7 when they hold their third summit meeting on Syria, according to Turkish media reports.
