Iran’s regional outreach tested as Turkey plans Syria operation

Aljazeera – July 5th 2022

By Maziar Motamedi

Tehran, Iran – Iran has upped its diplomatic efforts amid a warning from Turkey to launch a new military operation in Syria – a close regional ally of Tehran – against Kurdish rebels.

In the past few months, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said as soon as military and security preparations are over, Ankara will target “terrorist” Kurdish armed groups in at least two Syrian cities close to the Turkish border – Tal Rifaat and Manbij.

Erdogan wants to establish a 30km (18 miles) “safe zone” and combat the US-backed armed group People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a “terrorist” group. Ankara says YPG is linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a bloody armed campaign against the Turkish government for decades. PKK is dubbed a “terrorist” group by Turkey as well as the United States and the European Union.

The arming by the US of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), having links to the YPG, has frayed relations between Ankara and Washington. The SDF was at the forefront in the fight against ISIL (ISIS).

Iran opposes the planned Turkish move, as along with Russia it is the biggest military backer of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Iran has been following a “balanced” foreign policy as part of President Ebrahim Raisi’s plans to expand ties with Turkey amid its push for regional diplomacy.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian struck a soft tone when he met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu as well as President Erdogan in Ankara last June.

“We understand Turkey’s security concerns and talks about the possibility of a special operation in parts of Syrian soil,” Amirabdollahian told reporters in a joint news conference with Cavusoglu, which prompted speculation that Iran will not oppose a Turkish operation in northern Syria.

But on a trip to Damascus on Saturday, Amirabdollahian told al-Assad that Tehran opposes a military solution, and believes only dialogue can resolve the situation. Iran will try to mediate to help resolve “misunderstandings” between Syria and Turkey, he said.

The US has also opposed the planned military operation – which would build on territorial gains during several other incursions since 2016 – as it fears it could undermine regional stability.

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