As he says that Turkey has relations with Syria opposition, Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that Ankara can help to free the Iranian pilgrims who were kidnapped last Saturday in Syria.

As he says that Turkey has relations with Syria opposition, Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that Ankara can help to free the Iranian pilgrims who were kidnapped last Saturday in Syria.

During a snap visit to Turkey in a bid to follow the case of the pilgrims, Salehi was due to meet his counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.   

He said he had visited Turkey because Ankara “has links with the opposition in Syria, so we think Turkey can play major role in freeing our pilgrims."

Salehi also praised Turkey and Iran as "two major powers in the region." 

"If they join hands they can certainly facilitate peace and stability in the region," Salehi said before a meeting with Davutoglu.

The Iranian FM over the weekend telephoned his Turkish and Qatari counterparts, Davutoglu and Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir Al Thani, to request their help.