Iran slams US 'provocative, worrisome' move on Syria safe zone
Iran says a recent agreement between Turkey and the United States to establish a so-called safe zone in northeastern Syria, where US-sponsored Kurdish militants are operating, is "provocative and worrisome."
"Such measures, like other actions taken by the American officials, are the cause of instability and, in addition to interference in Syria's domestic affairs, they will create insecurity in the region as well,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Moussavi said on Sunday.
He added that the US move in northeastern Syria is a "blatant violation of the country's legal sovereignty and territorial integrity and is against the principles of the international law and the United Nations Charter."
Noting that the security concerns related to Syria's northern borders can be allayed through positive efforts and within the framework of mutual agreements with neighbors, the Iranian spokesman stressed, "There is no need to interference by foreign powers."
Earlier this month, Turkey and the United States reached an agreement on the establishment of a joint operation center in the northern part of Syria, in the wake of Ankara’s threats to launch an operation against the US-sponsored Kurdish militants to push them away from the Turkish border.
“Talks between Turkish and the US military delegations regarding establishment of a safe zone in the north of Syria were concluded,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement.
However, a source at Syria's Foreign Ministry said that the US-Turkey agreement amounted to “blatant aggression” against the country’s territorial integrity and was a “flagrant violation” of the international law and the UN Charter.
“This agreement has very clearly exposed the US-Turkish partnership in the aggression against Syria, which serves the interest of the Israeli occupation entity and the Turkish expansionist ambitions,” the source said.
Turkey considers the US-backed Kurdish militants operating in northeastern Syria as terrorists. The Turkish government has, since 2016, launched two military operations inside Syria against the Kurds and has threatened a third if they fail to leave east of the Euphrates.
Damascus has repeatedly called on the US and Turkey to end their illegal military presence and activities on Syrian soil.
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