Iran Opposes Turkish Military Operation in Syria
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Tehran’s opposition to any military operation in Syria, warning Turkey that invading the Syrian territories would cause widespread humanitarian and financial damages.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry reacted to the latest developments in Syria and the Turkish army’s plan to attack the Arab country.
The statement denounced the “illegitimate” presence of American military forces in Syria, saying Washington’s decision to pull the US forces out of Syria and end the occupation of Syrian territories should have been made much earlier.
The Foreign Ministry also expressed hope that the US move would result in the establishment of peace and stability in Syria and in the region.
The statement further noted that Tehran was closely monitoring the “worrying reports” about the possibility of Turkish military forces entering the Syrian territories, warning that such a measure would not only not alleviate Turkey’s security concerns, but also bring about widespread financial and humanitarian losses.
“Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran is opposed to any possible military operation” in Syria, the statement added.
The ministry also voiced Tehran’s readiness to make immediate contacts with the Turkish and Syrian officials in order to address the existing concerns in a peaceful manner, stressing that “respect for Syria’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the Adana agreement” would be the appropriate basis for the negotiations.
Turkey seeks to establish a 32-kilometer “safe zone” in northern Syria, and has stressed that it wants the Kurdish-led militants known as the People’s Protection Units (YPG) cleared from the region.
Neither Turkey nor the US has authorization from the Syrian government for their activities in the Arab country.