TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif started a trip to Syria and Turkey on Tuesday to discuss bilateral ties, Tasnim news agency reported.

On the first leg of his trip, Zarif will visit Damascus, capital of Syria, for meetings with top Syrian officials, including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem.

The two-day trip will take the Iranian foreign minister later to Turkey.

During his trip, Zarif will discuss major issues in the bilateral relations, including the agreements agreed upon by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Syrian and Turkish counterparts.

His visits are also aimed at coordinating policies on the regional and international developments.