Iran’s FM opposes Turkish threats on Syria, offers political solution
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, warned Saturday that any Turkish military operation in Syria would destabilize the region, adding that they are working towards a political solution to keep Turkey from invading northern Syria.
Amir-Abdollahian’s remarks came at a visit to Damascus, the Syrian capital, where he met the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Mekdad and the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently announced plans to carry out another major military cross-border incursion into Syria to create a safe zone along the border with Turkey. Erdogan specified his targets in the two northern Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat.
“Any Turkish military action in the north of Syria would be a destabilizing element in the region,” Amir-Abdollahian told a press conference with his Syrian counterpart, according to a simultaneous translation from Farsi to Arabic.
“We understand the concerns of our neighbor Turkey but we oppose any military measure in Syria,” he said, adding that Iran is trying to resolve the “misunderstanding between Turkey and Syria through dialogue.”
In the news conference, the Iranian minister pointed out that Iran is ready to offer a “political solution” to address the Turkish concerns.
“We will expend all our efforts to prevent a military operation from taking place,” he said, adding he had also spoken to Turkish officials about a diplomatic solution.
Amir-Abdollahian met later Saturday with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who told the Iranian minister that Turkey’s “pretexts to justify its aggression in Syria are false, misleading and have nothing to do with reality.”
Iran has been an adamant ally of Syria throughout the latter’s 11-year civil war, providing military, political and economic support.