Iran's FM: US irrelevant occupier in Syria; futile to seek its permission for security
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States is an "irrelevant occupier in Syria," stressing that peace will be achieved in the war-ravaged country only through respect for its territorial integrity and people.
"US is an irrelevant occupier in Syria—futile to seek its permission or rely on it for security," Zarif said in a post on his official Twitter account on Monday, after the US gave the green light to Turkey to launch a military operation in northern Syria.
US is an irrelevant occupier in Syria—futile to seek its permission or rely on it for security.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) October 7, 2019
Achieving peace & fighting terror in Syria will only succeed thru respect for its territorial integrity & its people.
Adana provides framework for Turkey & Syria—Iran ready to help.
"Achieving peace & fighting terror in Syria will only succeed thru respect for its territorial integrity & its people," he added.
After a phone conversation between US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, the US in a major shift in its policy gave the green light to Turkey to launch a military operation against Washington's long-time Kurdish allies in northern Syria.
“Turkey will soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation into northern Syria,” the White House said in a statement.
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In his tweet, the top Iranian diplomat also said that the Adana agreement provides a framework for Turkey and Syria to uproot terrorism, expressing the Islamic Republic's readiness to render assistance to that goal.
The Adana Interstate Agreement on Combating Terrorism was signed between Turkey and Syria on October 20, 1998. It clearly stated that the Damascus government would not allow any activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group on Syrian soil, and would block any terror activities that could threaten Turkey's sovereignty.
Ankara had been threatening for months to launch an offensive in northern Syria against the US-backed Kurdish forces there.
US soldiers had worked closely with Kurdish forces of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by militants from the People's Protection Units (YPG) , in a battle with the declared aim of destroying Daesh.
Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization and an extension of the PKK, which has been fighting for an autonomous region inside Turkey since 1984.
The Turkish military, with support from allied militants of the so-called Free Syrian Army, launched two cross-border operations in northern Syria, namely “Euphrates Shield” in August 2016 and “Olive Branch” in January 2018 with the declared aim of eradicating the presence of Kurdish militants and Daesh terrorists near Turkey’s borders.
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