Erdoğan, Rouhani to speed up efforts to implement ceasefire in Syria's Eastern Ghouta

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani agreed in a phone call on Wednesday to speed up efforts for the implementation of a ceasefire in Syria's Eastern Ghouta region, a source in Erdoğan's office said.

The two leaders emphasised the importance of Turkey, Russia and Iran showing joint efforts for the implementation of the ceasefire, the source said. Erdoğan had also held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin late on Tuesday to discuss recent developments in Eastern Ghouta.

The presidents also exchanged views about the trilateral summit between Turkey, Iran, and Russia set for next month in Istanbul.

Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb, has been under siege for the last five years, and humanitarian access to the area, which is home to some 400,000 people, has been completely cut off.

In the past eight months, Assad regime forces have intensified their siege, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of civilians in need.

On Feb. 24, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day cease-fire in Syria.

Despite the UN cease-fire resolution, at least 756 people have been killed in regime attacks in the besieged areas in the past two weeks, according to White Helmets civil defense agency.