Turkey may need a military operation in Syria: Iranian FM

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian foreign minister said on Monday that his country "understands" Turkey’s security concerns on the Syrian border, adding that a military operation may be needed in this regard.

“We understand Turkey's security concerns,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was quoted by the Iranian state media as saying during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Davusoglu in Ankara. “We believe that the security concerns of our friends in Turkey should be addressed and resolved through dialogue and peace.”  

However, AFP quoted the Iranian official as saying “We understand that... maybe a special operation might be needed [in Syria].”

“Turkey’s security concerns must be tackled fully and permanently," he added. 

Turkey has recently renewed threats to carry out a new military operation against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria’s Manbij and Tal Rifaat towns in a bid to complete the 30 kilometer “safe zone” it began creating along its southern borders in recent years. 

Ankara claims that the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF, is the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which is an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. Ankara considers both the PKK and YPG as terrorist organziations and a threat to its national security.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on Monday that they insist on carrying out another military campaign against Kurdish fighters in Syria. 
  
"As soon as our preparations for correcting the deficiencies of the security corridor that we have started on our Syrian border are completed, we will launch new operations," he said following a cabinet meeting.  

Amir-Abdollahian also met with Erdogan late Monday.