Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Turkey’s actions against the sovereignty and security of Syria will not benefit Ankara and will not ensure its security.
The day before, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that in the coming days a decision could be made on the Turkish operation in northern Syria east of the Euphrates. He added that the purpose of the operation will be to clear the Syrian border with Turkey from the self-defense forces of the Syrian Kurds, create a security zone there and place the Syrian refugees in Turkey.
“We told the Turkish side that the security of Turkey can be ensured only by the deployment of military forces in the border areas. Actions against the sovereignty and security of Syria will not bring Turkey any benefit”, – the IRNA quoted the minister as saying.
Earlier, Turkish-American negotiations ended in Ankara to create a security zone in northern Syria east of the Euphrates. According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, Ankara and Washington reached an agreement on the establishment of a coordination center for joint operations and the planned zone. At the same time, Erdogan said that Ankara will begin an operation against the Kurdish forces controlling this region if the United States drags out the formation of a security zone.
Official Damascus categorically opposed the Turkish-American agreement, since, according to the Syrian government, it represents a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and a gross violation of the principles of international law.