By bne Gulf bureau Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on August 25 that despite mediation efforts by Russia, Iran, and Iraq, there has been no progress in reconciliation between Syria and Turkey. Speaking to the newly convened People’s Council (parliament), Assad stated, ‘Russia, Iran, and Iraq have put forward initiatives for reconciliation with Turkey, and we responded positively to them, but no progress has been made, despite the sincerity of the mediators,’ as reported by RIA Novosti. Assad refuted Ankara’s claims that Syria is unwilling to negotiate until Turkish troops withdraw from S…