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Zarif warns against exploitation of Syrian Kurds and offers mediation to Turkey

October 7, 2019 at 4:03 am

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks during a bilateral meeting with Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi (not seen) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta, Indonesia on 6 September, 2019 [Anton Raharjo/Anadolu Agency]

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned on Sunday that the United States is seeking to exploit a group of Syrian Kurds by supporting them militarily.

Zarif told a meeting of the Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly: “Tehran’s position is apparent towards the Kurds of Syria.” He added that “the only way to maintain the security of Turkey, is the military presence of the central government in the border areas, which is possible in accordance with the Adana agreement,” reported Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

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Zarif added: “it is not possible to ensure security by working against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria.” He went on, “the Iranian position was put forth frankly during the recent tripartite summit in Istanbul, meetings with the Turks, and the Astana meetings.”

The Iranian statements came contemporaneously with the arrival of Turkish military reinforcements at the Syrian border on Saturday evening. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had issued directives to launch a military operation and an air raid against what he described as “terrorists” in the eastern Euphrates region in northern Syria.