ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that Syria can only achieve stability and recover from years of war with the support of all regional and international actors.

Erdogan's remarks came in a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit in Cairo, where the two leaders discussed a range of issues, including the strengthening of bilateral ties, and key regional and global matters, according to Turkish Communications Directorate.

Erdogan stressed that Türkiye's robust relationship with Iran is essential for regional stability and highlighted the potential to increase their bilateral trade volume to $30 billion.

He emphasized the opportunities to achieve this goal via deeper collaboration.

Türkiye wants to see a Syria free of terrorism, where refugees can return voluntarily and with dignity, Erdogan stressed.

Syria’s stability is vital not only for its own future but for the security of the entire region, Erdogan added, calling for joint efforts from both regional and international actors to support Syria’s recovery.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 11th D-8 summit in the Egyptian capital Cairo, according to the Turkish Presidency.

Turkish president returns home

Erdogan later returned to Istanbul after the end of the summit.

“I wish that the consultations and decisions we took at the Summit will be beneficial for our countries and our region," he said on X.

The D-8 summit, titled “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy," was held in Cairo.

The D-8 group was established in Istanbul in 1997 to strengthen economic and social relations among its member states — Türkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, and Malaysia. Azerbaijan also joined the group on Thursday.