The 22nd round of the Astana process on Syria was held in Kazakhstan.

The 22nd round meeting of the Astana process on Syria, guaranteed by Turkey, Russia, and Iran, was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan continues to host the Astana process meetings, which were initiated in 2017 to find a solution to the Syrian crisis. Within the scope of the meeting, discussions began yesterday among the delegations from the guarantor countries—Turkey, Russia, and Iran—and representatives of the Syrian regime and opposition, while the main session of the meeting was held today. During the session, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev read the final communiqué of the meeting.

The guarantor countries called on the international community to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza. In the communiqué, it was stated that the guarantors of the Astana process, Iran, Russia, and Turkey, condemned the ongoing massacres and criminal attacks by Israel in Gaza, as well as its aggressions in Lebanon and the West Bank, expressing deep concern. It included the statement: “(The guarantor countries) called on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, for an urgent and lasting ceasefire and the provision of unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza.”

The communiqué also mentioned that “(The guarantor countries) called for an urgent ceasefire in Lebanon, emphasized the importance of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), and stressed the necessity of delivering urgent humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, which has suffered large-scale civilian casualties and significant infrastructure destruction. They expressed serious concerns regarding the intentional targeting of UNIFIL by Israeli armed forces.”

The communiqué conveyed that the guarantor countries Turkey, Russia, and Iran emphasized the need for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN agencies, and all humanitarian organizations to develop emergency response measures for those forced to flee from Lebanon to Syria following the escalation of conflicts in Lebanon. It stated that “(The guarantor countries) condemned all Israeli military attacks in Syria, acknowledged that these actions violate international law, international humanitarian law, Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, disrupt stability in the region, and escalate tensions, and called for an end to these attacks.”

It was noted in the communiqué that Turkey, Russia, and Iran reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, as well as to the goals and principles of the UN Charter.

The communiqué stated, “(The guarantor countries) emphasized the importance of re-establishing relations between Turkey and Syria based on mutual respect, goodwill, and good neighborliness for the purpose of combating terrorism, creating suitable conditions for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Syrians with the participation of the UNHCR, intensifying the political process, and ensuring an unobstructed flow of humanitarian aid to all Syrians.”

The communiqué expressed that “(The guarantor countries) have reiterated their commitment to continue working together to combat all forms and manifestations of terrorism and to stand against separatist agendas that weaken Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and threaten the national security of neighboring countries, including cross-border attacks and infiltrations. They condemned the actions of terrorist groups, including the attack on the TUSAŞ building in Ankara on October 23, 2024, and terrorist groups operating under different names in various regions of Syria that target civilian facilities and cause civilian casualties. They emphasized the necessity of fully implementing all decisions taken regarding northern Syria.”

The communiqué noted that the guarantor countries emphasized the importance of preventing any destructive activities by third parties that could further destabilize the Idlib de-escalation zone (IDZ). It stated, “(The guarantor countries) condemned the situation in northeastern Syria and agreed that lasting security and stability in the region can only be achieved based on the protection of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They reiterated their rejection of the ongoing illegal appropriation and transfer of oil and other resources that rightfully belong to Syria, emphasizing that these elements and unilateral sanctions negatively affect the economic situation in Syria. They condemned the actions of countries supporting terrorism that harm the unity of the Syrian state.”

The communiqué indicated that Russia, Turkey, and Iran decided to hold the 23rd round of Astana talks in the first half of 2025. The meetings were also attended by delegations from Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon as observers, alongside representatives from the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The 21st round of Astana talks was held in January of this year.