Support The Moscow Times!

Russia, Iran and Turkey Agree to Syrian 'De-escalation Zones'

Delegations of Russia, Iran and Turkey hold talks on Syrian peace in Astana, Kazakhstan, Jan. 23, 2017. Sergei Grits / AP

Russia, Iran, and Turkey have signed a memorandum on the establishment of "de-escalation zones" in Syria during talks in Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Foreign Minister announced Thursday.

"During the past two days, participants in the Astana talks reviewed the implementation of the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities agreements," Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said in Astana. "As a result, the guarantor countries have agreed to sign a memorandum on setting up de-escalation zones in Syria."

Representatives of Syrian opposition groups interrupted the signing ceremony when they walked out of the negotiations to oppose Iran's role in the agreement, the Interfax news agency reported. Neither the opposition, nor the Syrian government have signed the memorandum. 

"We do not accept Iran's role as a guarantor country," one member of the opposition delegation shouted during the ceremony.

The Syrian conflict, now in its seventh year, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced nearly one-half of the country's population. In September 2015, Russia entered the war on the side of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, ultimately turning the tide in the government's favor.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more