Moscow: In a significant diplomatic exchange, Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday to discuss the current situation in Syria. The Kremlin issued a statement emphasizing the discussions' focus on providing 'unconditional support' for the actions taken by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in its efforts to "restore constitutional order." According to Anadolu Agency, the talks were initiated at Tehran's request, highlighting the ongoing collaboration between Russia and Iran regarding the Syrian conflict. Both leaders underscored the importance of coordinating efforts within the framework of the Astana format, which also includes Trkiye. This trilateral dialogue aims to address the complexities of the Syrian civil war, which has seen renewed hostilities in recent weeks. The Kremlin statement also noted that Putin and Pezeshkian discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in various sectors, reflecting the agreements made during their p revious meeting in October. This meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The statement further mentioned that both leaders have planned further engagements at different levels to continue their discussions. The backdrop of these diplomatic talks is the resurgence of violence in Syria, particularly in Aleppo's rural areas. Clashes between Assad regime forces and armed opposition groups have disrupted a period of relative calm in the civil war, which began in 2011, signaling a potential escalation in conflict dynamics.