Iran ready to help ease Turkish-Syrian tension

Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has expressed concerns over the current tension in Turkish-Syrian relations, indicating that his country is willing to take further steps to help restore stability. "The escalation of tensions in the region undermines the interests and the principle of unity among Muslim countries across the region," Larijani told Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek during a telephone conversation on Monday. Larijani emphasized that the current tensions should be defused as soon as possible. He called on Turkey to exert more efforts towards the release of the Iranian visitors who were abducted by armed terrorist groups in Syria. For his part, Cicek considered helping with the release to be a human duty.