Iran’s FM holds unannounced talks with Turkish president in Ankara

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday held previously unannounced talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, the Turkish presidency said. Zarif went into the talks at the headquarters of Erdogan’s ruling party, as expectations grow of an offensive in the Idlib province of northwest Syria bordering Turkey by Tehran’s ally President Bashar Assad, AFP reported. Ankara has throughout the seven-year war in Syria supported rebels seeking to oust Assad but has put differences aside to form a three-way alliance with Tehran and Moscow. Idlib is largely controlled by rebel groups, and Ankara warns a military solution could lead to catastrophe and a new influx of refugees across its borders. Turkey has 12 observation posts staffed by its military inside Idlib aimed at monitoring a de-escalation zone.