ISTANBUL: Russia, Syria and Iran should take more effective measures to protect Syria’s territorial integrity, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said, when asked about Israel’s recent strike on Damascus.

“We will defend an urgent and permanent peace in Syria...Israel is the most concrete threat to regional and global peace,“ Erdogan said in an interview with Turkish media.

“It is essential that Russia, Iran and Syria take more effective measures against this situation, which poses the greatest threat to Syria’s territorial integrity,“ according to a readout of the interview from the presidency.