Iran`s FM visits Ankara for talks on abducted Iranians in Syria

TEHRAN,Aug.8(MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi made a short trip to Ankara yesterday to discuss with Turkish officials the abduction of Iranian pilgrims by the Syrian Free Army, which enjoys the strong support of Turkey. Forty-seven Iranian pilgrims were kidnapped near the shrine of Sayyida Zainab in the suburb of Damascus on Saturday. Foreign media outlets claimed on Monday that three of the pilgrims were killed in Damascus on Monday. Some reports have claimed that insurgent groups are using the pilgrims as human shield. Since the Syrian Free Army is backed by Turkey, Salehi was supposed to remind the Turkish officials of their responsibility in this regard. The abductees had visited Syria without the authorization of the relevant bodies.