Demands for Iran's complete withdrawal from Syria are "unrealistic," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after meeting with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi.
The Russian top diplomat noted that Iran is one of the key powers in the region, and that it would be "absolutely unrealistic" to expect it to abandon its interests.
He said regional powers should discuss mutual complaints and negotiate a compromise, the AP reported.
Lavrov said Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump would discuss the situation in southern Syria, where government forces are waging a new offensive, at their July 16 summit. He said a cease-fire in the region brokered by Russia, Jordan and the U.S. had envisioned the withdrawal of non-Syrian forces and the deployment of Syrian troops along the frontier with Israel.
