ANKARA – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was on Wednesdayholding previously unannounced talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inAnkara, the Turkish presidency said.

Zarif went into the talks at the headquarters of Erdogan’s ruling party, asexpectations grow of an offensive in the Idlib province of northwest Syriabordering Turkey by Tehran’s ally President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey has been keeping a wary eye on the possibility of the offensive, asit seeks to bring peace to Syria along with Iran and Assad’s other mainally Russia.

Ankara has throughout the seven year civil war in Syria supported rebelsseeking to oust Assad but has put differences aside to form a three wayalliance with Tehran and Moscow.

Erdogan and his counterparts Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Russia’s VladimirPutin are due to meet for a third summit on Syria in Iran on September 7,Turkish reports have said.

But analysts say that Idlib, which is largely controlled by rebel groups,could test the alliance with Turkey, as Ankara warns a military solutioncould lead to catastrophe and a new influx of refugees across its borders.

Turkey has 12 observation posts staffed by its military inside Idlib aimedat monitoring a de-escalation zone and media reports have said it has sentconcrete blocks over the border to reinforce them in case of an offensive.

But analysts also say that Turkey is keen to preserve the three-wayalliance and may be prepared to support a more limited offensive againstthe most extreme factions in Idlib.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday called on the West notto stand in the way of an “anti-terror operation” in Syria’s Idlib.

Lavrov also said that there is “full political understanding” betweenRussia and Turkey and said it was necessary to “disassociate the so-calledmoderate opposition from terrorists.” – APP/AFP