TEHRAN – Tehran's provisional Friday prayers leader Ayatollah Seyed Ahmad Khatami said that Turkish troops’ operation in northern Syria is nothing but aggression against an independent country and condemned the move.

Addressing a large number of worshippers in Tehran, Ayatollah Khatami termed the Turkish army’s heavy attack on the northern part of the war-hit Syria as a blatant aggression against an independent country, calling on Ankara no to repeat a mistake done by Riyadh which is now in a Washington-made trap in Yemen.

“Iran’s stance is an advising position which in meant immediate halt (of the Operation Peace Spring) and withdrawal of forces from the Syrian soil.”

“I have an advice to the Turkish government. Saudi Arabia as a servant of the U.S. accepted Washington’s order and now it has fallen in a swamp made by Washington. The Saudis wanted to put an end to the Yemen issue in one week, but now (nearly) after five years, these are Yemeni combatants that have gained upper hand, therefor, Turkey should be very careful in order not to fall in a similar trap made by the U.S.” the Friday prayers leader remarked.

Turkey launched an offensive on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday. This happened despite warnings by Iran, Russia, Egypt and the European Union. The Syrian Kurdish fighters commonly referred to as SDF, were instrumental in defeating Daesh.
 
On Tuesday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry in a statement had voiced Tehran’s strong opposition to Turkish military invasion of Syria, warning that such a move would certainly exacerbate the security situation in the region.

The statement came immediately after the Turkish Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that preparations for a military operation in northern Syria were complete.

The ministry further hoped for restoration of peace and stability to Syria and the entire region and added that Tehran was closely pursuing reports with “concern” over Turkish forces’ deployment in Syria.

The ministry further underlined that military aggression against Syria and deployment of Turkish forces in the northern part of the war-torn country would not allay Ankara’s security concerns.

Instead, the ministry warned, such a move would inflict broad human losses and material damage on Syria and its people and that is why the Islamic Republic is firmly opposed to any military operation in Syria.

“Iran is ready to mediate via holding urgent contacts with senior Turkish and Syrian officials to meet existing concerns through peaceful and diplomatic ways. Tehran believes that Syria’s integrity and national sovereignty should be respected and reiterates that the Adana Pact enjoys suitable basis for resumption of such mediating talks,” the ministry’s statement read.   

MJ/PA