Iran says it rejects any Turkish military operations in Syria.
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that any military action within the borders of other countries “constitutes a violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty.” It also reiterated its rejection of any Turkish military measures in Syria.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said
that Tehran views such military actions as a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of those countries and believes this will only further complicate the situation and intensify tensions.
Since the beginning of this May, Turkish officials, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have made statements about Turkey’s intention to launch a new military operation in northern Syria.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman added that Iran understands Turkey’s security concerns. Khatibzadeh however noted that Tehran believes that the only way to dispel those concerns is dialog, respect for bilateral agreements with neighbors and also treaties reached within the framework of the Astana platform, including respect for Syria’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty, and observing the principle of avoiding the use of force.
Khatibzadeh maintained that experience gained over the past years has shown that military actions in other countries not only do not help resolve bilateral disputes but they have had serious humanitarian consequences and will further complicate the situation in the region.