Tehran, Dec 1 (IANS): Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov exchanged views on the latest developments in Syria.

In a phone call on Saturday, the two sides also discussed regional and international issues of common interest, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

They expressed "decisive" support for Syria's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the Arab state's government and army in their fight against "terrorist groups," highlighting the necessity to address the issue within the framework of the Astana peace process, launched in 2017 at the initiative of Iran, Russia, and Türkiye to resolve the Syrian civil war.

Araghchi reminded the international community of its responsibility to counter the "evil phenomenon" of terrorism, describing the recent actions by the "terrorist groups" in Syria as part of a US-Israeli plot to compromise security in West Asia.

He called for greater vigilance and further coordination among Iran, Russia and other regional states, particularly Syria's neighbors, "to neutralise the precarious conspiracy and counter terrorists' actions in Syria and the region."

Lavrov, for his part, stressed the importance of ensuring coordination among all sides to counter terrorism and continuing close consultations between Moscow and Tehran.

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied rebel groups launched a major offensive in the countryside of the northern Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Idlib on Wednesday.

By Friday, they had advanced into parts of Aleppo city for the first time since they were driven out of the city in 2016.