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By Nigar Abbasova

The ongoing developments in Syria were top on agenda at a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Syria in Moscow.

Sergey Lavrov and his counterparts Javad Zarif and Walid al-Moallem discussed the current situation in Syria, including military, political and humanitarian state, as well as joint efforts on fight against terrorism.

Ahead of the meeting, Lavrov said the three nations are acting as a united front against terrorism, saying their talks are mainly focused on ways of tackling terrorism. Fight against terrorism should be continued and the warring sides should return to peaceful reconciliation, he added.

The meeting is expected to provide important background for further talks over finding a solution to the Syrian crisis.

U.S.Secretary of State John Kerry earlier said that the settlement of the Syrian crisis is impossible without Iran and Russia, adding that exclusion of the countries from the process of negotiation may lead to the appearance of new problems.

Lavrov, Zarif and Muallem already met in such a format in January 2014 in Moscow before the Geneva II Conference on Syria.

Lavrov also held bilateral talks with his counterparts prior to the meeting in trilateral format. Zarif, during the separate meeting with Lavrov said that the countries have tangible progress in all spheres of bilateral relations and in international affairs. Moreover, he added that Russia and Iran have a common approach to the fight against international terrorism and extremism.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed the lives of over 220,000 people. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The "Islamic State" (IS, aka ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) and Jabhat al-Nusra are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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