Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has pledged to help secure the release of the Iranian nationals recently abducted in Syria.

“As I stated earlier, we regard the abducted Iranian pilgrims as our own citizens and will make the utmost efforts and utilize our full potential to help release them,” Davutoglu stated in Ankara on Tuesday during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, who had travelled to the Turkish capital to hold talks on the abducted Iranians.

Forty-eight Iranian pilgrims were abducted by the Free Syrian Army near a shrine in the suburb of Sayyida Zainab on Saturday.

Some reports have claimed that three of the abducted people were killed on Monday. Iran has not confirmed the reports.

And Iran has vehemently dismissed claims that the abductees are military forces.

During the meeting, Salehi asked Turkey to make every effort to help obtain their release.

In addition, Davutoglu and Salehi exchanged views on the situation in Syria.

The Iranian foreign minister expressed hope that the utmost vigilance would be exercised to help work out a political solution to the Syrian crisis based on national dialogue.

The Iranian and Turkish officials also discussed bilateral ties and called for the expansion of ties.