SOCHI (TASS) — Russia urges Iran and Saudi Arabia not to use the Syrian territory as a site for confrontation, President Vladimir Putin told a session of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday.

Putin said:

Confrontation between the biggest and most influential countries of the region cannot but affect the entire situation in that region of the globe, including the situation in Syria.

[…]

I know that the leadership of Saudi Arabia, where I will pay a visit shortly, and the leadership of Iran (we stay in constant touch with the Iranian colleagues, and I have met with the Iranian president these days) — they want peace for the Syrian people, wish them well.

[…]

And we urge them to be guided by these noble motives and make every effort in order not to use the Syrian territory as a site for confrontation.

The Valdai session brings together Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, King of Jordan Abdullah II, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte together with Putin. The leaders are expected to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in the “Greater Eurasia” and the Asia-Pacific regions, in addition to global topical issues such as the settlement in the Middle East.