Iran, Turkey, other D-8 countries meet in Egypt over crisis in Syria

The leaders of Turkey and Iran were in Egypt on Thursday for a summit of eight Muslim-majority countries, meeting for the first time since the ouster of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey historically backed the opposition to Assad, while Iran supported his rule.
The gathering of the Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as the Developing-8, was being held against a backdrop of regional turmoil including the conflict in Gaza, a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon and unrest in Syria.

In a speech at the summit, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for unity and reconciliation in Syria, urging “the restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity and unity.”
He also voiced hope for “the establishment of a Syria free of terrorism,” where “all religious sects and ethnic groups live side by side in peace.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged action to address the crises in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, saying that it is a “religious, legal and human duty to prevent further harm” to those suffering in the conflict zones.

Pezeshkian, who arrived in Cairo on Wednesday, is the first Iranian president to visit Egypt since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who visited in 2013.

Established in 1997, the D-8 aims to foster cooperation among the member states, spanning regions from Southeast Asia to Africa.

The organization’s members are Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia.

(Reuters/VOA)
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