Iran Pushes for Turkish Troop Withdrawal from Syria

A convoy carrying US politicians at the Bab al-Salameh border crossing between Türkiye and Syria during an inspection visit to northern Syria in August (AFP)
A convoy carrying US politicians at the Bab al-Salameh border crossing between Türkiye and Syria during an inspection visit to northern Syria in August (AFP)
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Iran Pushes for Turkish Troop Withdrawal from Syria

A convoy carrying US politicians at the Bab al-Salameh border crossing between Türkiye and Syria during an inspection visit to northern Syria in August (AFP)
A convoy carrying US politicians at the Bab al-Salameh border crossing between Türkiye and Syria during an inspection visit to northern Syria in August (AFP)

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stated that Syria has affirmed to Tehran its full readiness to maintain border security with Türkiye from within its territory.

In an interview with Iranian newspaper “Al-Wafaq,” Amir-Abdollahian elaborated that his country had proposed, during joint meetings, that Ankara commit to withdrawing its forces from Syria in exchange for Damascus ensuring there would be no threat to Turkish territories.

The top diplomat mentioned that the proposal presented to Syria and Türkiye includes Russia and Iran serving as guarantors of the agreement, with Syria deploying its forces along the border with Türkiye.

While there has been no official comment from Damascus regarding the Iranian proposal, this development comes approximately two weeks after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow had put forward a similar proposal to both Damascus and Ankara.

The proposal aimed to establish an agreement that would legitimize the presence of Turkish forces on Syrian soil.

Lavrov made this statement during a meeting with students and faculty at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations earlier this month.

According to Lavrov, Moscow had offered Damascus and Ankara the opportunity to revisit an agreement allowing Turkish forces to combat “terrorists on Syrian territory,” but in cooperation with Damascus.

This proposal would be based on the 1998 Adana Agreement, which outlines cooperation between Ankara and Damascus in the fight against “terrorism” along their shared borders.

In exchange, Syria would cease its support for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and facilitate the removal of its leader from Syrian territory.

Additionally, the proposal would grant Türkiye the authority to pursue “terrorist” organizations up to 5 kilometers inside Syrian territory.

There has been no official response from Ankara regarding the statements made by Amir-Abdollahian.

However, diplomatic sources closely involved in the matter have confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Türkiye will not alter its stance, which it has reiterated multiple times.

Türkiye maintains that it will not withdraw its forces from northern Syria until a political solution is achieved, stability is ensured, and the voluntary and safe return of refugees is guaranteed.



Türkiye Will Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ If Syria Govt Cannot Address Kurd Militia Issue, FM Says

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
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Türkiye Will Do ‘Whatever It Takes’ If Syria Govt Cannot Address Kurd Militia Issue, FM Says

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference following a meeting of foreign Ministers on developments in Syria in Aqaba, Jordan, 14 December 2024. (EPA)

Türkiye will do "whatever it takes" to ensure its security if the new Syrian administration cannot address Ankara's concerns about US-allied Kurdish groups it views as terrorist groups, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday.

Türkiye regards the YPG, the militant group spearheading the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought an insurgency against the Turkish state for 40 years and are deemed terrorists by Ankara, Washington, and the European Union.

Hostilities have escalated since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad less than two weeks ago, with Türkiye and Syrian groups it backs seizing the city of Manbij from the SDF on Dec. 9. Assad's fall has left the Kurdish factions on the back foot as they seek to retain political gains made in the last 13 years.

In an interview with France 24, Fidan said Ankara's preferred option was for the new administration in Damascus to address the problem in line with Syria's territorial unity, sovereignty, and integrity, adding that the YPG should be disbanded immediately.

"If it doesn't happen, we have to protect our own national security," he said. When asked if that included military action, Fidan said: "Whatever it takes."

Asked about SDF commander Mazloum Abdi's comments about the possibility of a negotiated solution with Ankara, Fidan said the group should seek such a settlement with Damascus, as there was "a new reality" there now.

"The new reality, hopefully, they will address these issues, but at the same time, (the) YPG/PKK, they know what we want. We don't want to see any form of military threat to ourselves. Not the present one, but also the potential one," he added.

Ankara, alongside Syrian allies, has mounted several cross-border offensives against the YPG-led SDF in northern Syria, while repeatedly demanding that its NATO ally Washington halt support for the fighters.

The US-backed SDF played a major role defeating ISIS militants in 2014-2017 with US air support, and still guards its fighters in prison camps. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the extremist group would try to re-establish capabilities in this period.

Fidan said he didn't find the recent uptick in US troops in Syria to be the "right decision", adding the battle against ISIS was an "excuse" to maintain support for the SDF.

"The fight against ISIS, there is only one job: to keep ISIS prisoners in prisons, that's it," he said.

Fidan also said that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which swept into Damascus to topple Assad, had "excellent cooperation" with Ankara in the battle against ISIS and al-Qaeda in the past through intelligence sharing.

He also said Türkiye was not in favor of any foreign bases, including Russian ones, remaining in Syria, but that the choice was up to the Syrian people.