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Iran Wants Russia, Turkey to Join in Syria-Style Talks to Solve Armenia, Azerbaijan Fight
Iran has proposed a mechanism to resolve the battle between neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan through talks with Russia and Turkey, two countries with which it coordinates an ongoing effort to end the war in Syria.

In a call Thursday with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed his country's "readiness to help achieve peace and a lasting solution to this conflict within the framework of the Iran-Turkey-Russia regional initiative," according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

This track, Zarif said, would complement ongoing consultations held by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Minsk Group, of which Russia is joined by the U.S. and France as co-chair, and Turkey is among other several member states.
The Azerbaijani side noted that Zarif "stressed that Iran as the neighboring country is interested in ensuring peace and stability in the region and underlined the importance of a peaceful solution to the conflict."
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Azerbaijan's ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov responded to this proposal the following day, telling Newsweek that "Azerbaijan appreciates every offer to help with reaching the much needed peace in our region."

He noted the existing Minsk Group mechanism continued to be the primary channel to resolve the conflict, but noted its shortcomings.
Tehran, Moscow and Ankara also have also faced significant challenges in their existing working group. The tripartite has since 2017 gathered to search for a political solution to the near-decade-long conflict in Syria, where Iran and Russia back the government and Turkey supports an embattled opposition in the north.

Officials from Iran, Russia and Turkey last discussed Syria together during a joint Geneva meeting in August and the trio have vowed to soon hold another round of talks.
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