Senior Iranian MP urges Turkey to help release pilgrims in Syria

A senior Iranian lawmaker has called on the Turkish government to employ all its capacities to help secure the release of Iranian pilgrims who were abducted in Syria, Press TV reported.

In a meeting with Turkey's Ambassador to Tehran Umit Yardim on Saturday, Chairman of Iran Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi expressed gratitude for Ankara's previous efforts for obtaining the release of Iranian pilgrims.

"Given the sanctity of holy shrines and necessity of providing security for the pilgrims of these sites, it is expected of the Turkish government to employ all its capacities to secure the release of the 48 Iranian pilgrims," Boroujerdi said.

On August 4, 48 Iranians, who were traveling on a bus from Damascus International Airport to the shrine of Hazrat Zeinab (AS) on the outskirts of the Syrian capital, Damascus, were abducted by insurgents.

The Iranian lawmaker also stressed the necessity of exchange of views between the two countries' officials with respect of developments in the region, particularly in Syria.

Yardim, for his part, expressed the Turkish government's concern about the abduction of Iranian pilgrims and said Ankara has made special efforts to secure their release and would continue to do so in future.