Turkish FM pledges all-out efforts to help free Iranian abductees in Syria

“Although Iran and Turkey have different views on Syrian developments, Ankara has always differentiated between political and humanitarian issues and has always been a pioneer in humanitarian issues,” Davutoglu told reporters on Wednesday.

    Forty-eight Iranian pilgrims, traveling on a bus from Damascus International Airport to the shrine of Hazrat Zainab (AS) on the outskirts of the Syrian capital, Damascus, were abducted by insurgents on August 4.

The Turkish foreign minister added that his country had previously made efforts to release Iranians abducted in Syria.

Davutoglu referred to his discussion on the abduction of Iranian nationals in Syria with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi, in which he stressed Turkey’s all-out efforts to secure the release of the Iranians.

    During a meeting with Davutoglu in Ankara on Tuesday, the Iranian foreign minister asked for Turkey’s assistance to free the Iranian pilgrims.

Iran says the US, Qatar, and Turkey, who support the insurgents in Syria, are responsible for the safety of the Iranian abductees in the country.