Russian, Iranian foreign ministers call for Qatar talks

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - The Russian and Iranian foreign ministers met Friday to discuss the conflict in Syria and Qatar’s crisis with neighboring Gulf Arab states, Russia’s news agency TASS reported.

Sergey Lavrov and Javad Zarif met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kazakstan’s capital Astana.

“We talked about process in the Syrian settlement and how this process and our common efforts can influence the history around Qatar,” Lavrov said, according to TASS.

Lavrov said Iran and Russia shared the same position on resolving the dispute between Qatar and states led by Saudi Arabia through dialogue.

The countries, which also include Bahrain, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, has accused Doha supports terrorism and being too close to Iran.

They have imposed an embargo on Qatar, cut diplomatic ties, expelled Qatari nationals and closed borders and airspace. The Qatari-owned broadcaster Al Jazeera has also been banned.

“Our president and your representatives said this crisis should be resolved at the negotiation table so that all concerns can be removed through dialogue,” Lavrov added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zarif was not planned, TASS said.

Turkey, which ratified an agreement to send troops to Qatar on Tuesday, has also called for a peaceful solution to the crisis in diplomatic overtures led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.