Türkiye and Iran have reiterated their support for a political solution in Syria and preserving its unity and territorial integrity. They also stressed the need to solve the many problems of the Syrian crisis within the framework of the Astana track.
“Türkiye and Iran support Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint news conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Ankara on Tuesday.
“Within the framework of the Astana process, of which Türkiye, Russia and Iran are the guarantor countries, we believe work must be done to solve many problems,” added the top Turkish diplomat.
Cavusoglu stressed that cooperation and coordination with Iran “is ongoing within the framework of the Astana process, and that Ankara has a common desire to activate the political track, the work of the Constitutional Committee, and other steps in Syria to establish stability.”
The minister added that the process of normalization between the intelligence institutions in Türkiye and Syria “has begun.”
He stressed that Türkiye “will not allow the establishment of a terrorist state on its southern borders.”
Cavusoglu added that he also discussed with Abdollahian the fight against terrorism.
The Turkish minister said that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is present in both Syria and Iran, noting that his country has taken “necessary measures” at home and outside the country to fight the group.
He pointed out that the US and Russia “did not fulfill their commitments under a 2019 agreement to remove the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) away from the Turkish borders.”
Türkiye often targets Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria, claiming that they are affiliated to the PKK.
Türkiye has conducted three offensives against the YPG since 2016, and it is threatening to carry out a fresh military campaign against them soon.
