TEHRAN – Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on Monday voiced Iran’s full support for Syria’s territorial integrity, security and stability.

Larijani’s remarks came in a meeting with Syrian Ambassador to Tehran Adnan Mahmoud. 

“Preservation of Syria’s integrity has always been highly regarded by Iran and that Tehran has permanently been in close consultation with other countries on this matter,” Larijani remarked.

He further said, “Any damage to integrity of Syria will intensify the problems of the country’s people.”

The remarks by Larijani followed after Turkish troops and militias backed by Ankara invaded northeastern Syria on October 9 to drive out Kurdish forces near the border with Turkey. The Turkish move sparked an international outcry. 

Ambassador Mahmoud, for his part, said, “In spite of Turkey’s agreement with the U.S. to end military operation (in northern Syria), Turkish troops’ incursion into Syria is underway.”
 
“Ankara has forwarded more troops to the borders with and inside Syria. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday (Sunday) that the safe zone that Turkey is planning to create will cover a large area with 444km length and 32km width.”

The ambassador admired Tehran’s unsparing efforts to put an end to the Syrians’ difficulties and said, “As the U.S. plan in Syria has failed, it is necessary to prevent Turkey from creating a safe zone in northern Syria.”

Earlier this month, Larijani cancelled his official trip to Turkey to participate in a parliamentary summit in Istanbul to oppose Ankara forces' incursion into Syria. 

In relevant remarks on Saturday, an Iranian parliamentarian suggested that influential countries, including Iran and Russian, mediate and persuade Turkey to halt military operation in northern Syria in order to prevent a fresh human catastrophe.

“People around the world hate wars and massacre of innocent civilians, including what is happening in Yemen and Afghanistan by the Saudi and American forces,” said Kamal Dehqani, who is in charge of the international relations of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.

The Turkish president is trying to justify attack on northern Syria to counter Kurdish fighters that Ankara calls terrorist. Erdogan sees the SDF an extension of the PKK. 

Kurdish fighters, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) (SDF), lost 10,000 members in the battle against Daesh (ISIL). 

“Of course, terrorist acts are not acceptable by anybody, but no country accepts aggression against another country, destabilizing security under pretext of countering terrorists,” the MP emphasized.

“In such cases, influential countries including Russia and Iran need to start playing a mediating role to prevent massacre of innocent people and maintain the Syrian government’s sovereignty,” Dehqani remarked.

MJ/PA