Lavrov: Russia, Turkey, and Iran call for "Immediate End" to fighting in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, alongside his Iranian and Turkish counterparts, has urged for an "immediate end" to the ongoing fighting in Syria, as opposition forces, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, make significant advances against President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Speaking at the Doha Forum in the Qatari capital on Saturday, Lavrov stated that Russia, Turkey, and Iran are united in their call for "an end to hostile activities" and expressed support for "dialogue between the government and legitimate opposition" in Syria.

The three nations have been involved in the Astana Format talks since 2017, which aim to find a political resolution to the Syrian conflict. On the sidelines of the forum, Lavrov, alongside Iran’s Abbas Araghchi and Turkey’s Hakan Fidan, met in a trilateral format to discuss the situation.

"We called for [an] immediate end to hostile activities. We stated, all of us, that we want the [United Nations] Resolution 2254 to be fully implemented, and for this purpose, called for the dialogue between the government and legitimate opposition," Lavrov said.

Resolution 2254, which was adopted by the United Nations Security Council, emphasizes the "sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity" of Syria and stresses that the only resolution to the conflict will be a "Syrian-led political process" involving all parties.

When asked whether Russia believes President Assad can maintain power amidst the advances of opposition forces, Lavrov declined to speculate, saying he was "not in the business of guessing."

The remarks come as opposition fighters, led by HTS, have made a swift advance, seizing key cities including Aleppo and Hama. The rebels have also reported reaching the edge of Homs, a critical city linking Damascus to Syria’s coastal regions, which remain loyal to Assad’s Alawite community.

On Saturday afternoon, an opposition commander posted on Telegram that HTS-led forces had initiated "operations" inside Homs, signaling a new phase in the battle for control of the region.

In addition to the gains in northern Syria, opposition forces have also made headway in southern areas, taking control of towns in Deraa and Sweida, near the Jordanian border, and in the countryside surrounding Damascus.