Syrian government has right to take control of national territory, says Putin in Tehran
Putin, Rohani, Erdogan in Tehran
Turkey, Russia and Iran had last year designated Idlib a "de-escalation zone".
Russian president Vladimir Putin said today that Syria has every right to take back all its terrority even as Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a "ceasefire" in the rebel bastion of Idlib.
The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey are meeting in Tehranfor the three-way summit to discuss ways to end the Syrian conflict.
"The legitimate Syrian government has a right and must eventually take under control all its national territory," Putin told Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the summit.
However, Turkish president Erdogan cautioned that "Idlib could turn into a bloodbath" asserting that "any attack launched or to be launched on Idlib will result in a disaster, massacre and a very big humanitarian tragedy."
On Wednesday, Russian Defence Ministry had released videos of air strikes on what it says are terrorist locations in Idlib province. Russian and Syrian jets hammered a major rebel stronghold, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said, just days before their meeting in Tehran.
US president Donald Trump had recently warned "the world is watching" as Syrian troops massed on the edges of the province that borders Turkey, raising fears of a humanitarian disaster.
The United Nations says nearly three million people live in Idlib with Syrian regime led by Asad set to oust rebels from the northwestern province and surrounding areas.
Turkey, Russia and Iran had last year designated Idlib a "de-escalation zone".
More than half of Idlib is controlled by jihadists from Syria's former Al-Qaida affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), while much of the rest is held by rebels backed by Turkey. The regime holds a small southeastern sliver.
The United Nations and aid groups have warned a military campaign could spark one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in a war that has already killed more than 350,000 people and displaced millions.