TEHRAN – An Iranian parliamentarian on Monday condemned Turkish military aggression on Syria, saying it is necessary that Ankara withdraw its forces from the northern part of the war-hit country as soon as possible. 

“The Turkish troops’ attack on Syria is blatant aggression. Turkey must put an immediate end to the incursion of Syria,” Mohammad Esmaeil Saeedi, Fars reported. 

Respecting the countries’ territorial integrity is respected internationally, he said, adding, “So no one is allowed to ignore other nations’ territorial integrity under pretext of providing its own security.” 

“According to latest estimates, a sum of 150,000 people have been displaced since the launch of Turkish attack on northern Syria which has pushed the displaced people into trouble,” regretted Saeidi, who represents Tabriz in the parliament.

“Turkey must learn lesson from Saudis’ fate in their aggression on Yemen and try not to repeat Riyadh’s mistake,” the MP warned.

In relevant remarks, Tehran's provisional Friday prayers leader Ayatollah Seyed Ahmad Khatami said that Turkish troops’ operation in northern Syria was 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 Syria as blatant aggression against an independent country, calling on Ankara not 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 is 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 the SDF, were instrumental in defeating Daesh.

  
MJ/PA