After Assad talks, Iranian FM lands in Ankara to talk Syria

Araghchi was expected to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday before talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, officials said.

Araghchi flew to Damascus on Sunday to deliver a message of support to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad after a lightning rebel advance saw his government lose control of second city Aleppo, state media reported.

Tehran has been a staunch ally of Assad since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011. Lebanon's Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has for years fought on the side of the Syrian government.

Diplomatic relations between Turkey and Syria were severed after the civil war started, with Erdogan supporting rebel efforts to topple Assad.

In recent months however, the Turkish leader has sought a rapprochement with his Syrian counterpart.

Turkish forces and Turkey-backed rebel factions control much of northern Syria, and there are some 3.2 million Syrian refugees currently living in Turkey, according to UN data.