Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says increasing tension in war-hit Syria will send a “wrong signal” to terrorist groups that they can go on with their crimes.
In a telephone conversation, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, discussed the latest Syrian developments, including Turkey’s recent downing of a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber-Ansari said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane close to the Syrian border, claiming that it had violated its airspace.
Zarif told Lavrov in the telephone conversation that such incidents will further “escalate the tension and complicate the situation” in Syria and send a wrong signal to terrorist groups” that they can continue their terrorist acts against Syria and other parts of the world by taking advantage of the rift between influential players, the spokesman said.
According to the spokesman, Zarif stressed that the incident once again highlights Syria’s critical situation, the impact of developments in the Arab country on international peace and security, and the need for a united global front against terrorism.
“The [Iranian] foreign minister also reiterated that the success of anti-terror bids depends on the existence of a united regional and international will and determination in dealing with terrorism,” Jaber-Ansari said.
Following the incident, the Russian foreign minister canceled his forthcoming visit to Turkey planned for November 25.
Moscow says the jet had been attacked inside Syria, warning of "serious consequences" of the incident on Russia-Turkey relations.
The developments come as Russia is involved in an aerial military campaign against Takfiri terrorists in Syria, which started on September 30 upon a request by the Damascus government.