Iran's Khamenei tells Erdogan that military operation in Syria would destabilize the region

Iran's Khamenei tells Erdogan that military operation in Syria would destabilize the region

kurdsatnews

Jul 19, 2022

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (left) speaks during his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, in Tehran, on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that any military operation by Ankara against the Kurds in northern Syria would "harm" the region.

Such an operation "will harm Syria, Turkey, and the region," Khamenei said during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tehran.

The supreme leader informed Erdogan that Iran would "certainly cooperate" with Turkey "in fighting terrorism," but he argued that a new offensive in Syria would be in the interest of "terrorists."

Iranian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Ebrahim Raisi met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Wednesday. Khamenei hosted Erdogan as a minor, and the supreme leader sat at the head of the hall with Erodgan next to Raisi and without displaying the Turkish flag next to Iran's.

Khamenei also called for a dialogue to resolve the Syrian conflict and for Turkey, Syria, Russia, and Iran to end the conflict together.

Days ago, the Syrian army deployed three hundred troops in the SDF-controlled Manbij, one of the cities Turkey aims to capture. Erdogan's visit is to clear the air with Syria's longtime backer.

Earlier, a Kremlin spokesperson confirmed that Ukrainian grain exports would also be on the agenda. With the war in Ukraine and the unstable global oil market, all three regional powers have stakes in what the future holds for the region.

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