Iran Warns Turkey Over Establishing Military Bases in Syria

IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

TEHRAN – Iran has expressed opposition to Turkey establishing military bases inside Syria, calling on Ankara to respect the Arab country’s territorial integrity.

“The Turks can have bases on their own side of the border but establishing bases on Syrian soil is unacceptable and amounts to violating [the sovereignty] of a member of the United Nations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Monday.

Mousavi said Turkey’s security concerns, while legitimate, should be resolved amicably and with full respect for Syria’s sovereignty.

“Syria’s sovereignty and integrity must be respected by all countries of the region,” he said, noting there were already various mechanisms and agreements in place that could be used to address Turkey’s concerns.

The spokesman said Iran was ready to engage Syrian Kurds, Syria’s government as well as Turkey in order to bring them closer.

Mousavi repeated Iran’s position that none of the existing crises in the Middle East could be resolved through military intervention and that dialogue was the only way.

Mousavi did not rule out Iran’s role in resolving the ongoing crisis in northern Syria as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to travel to the Black Sea resort of Sochi for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Iran is one of the active players in this field,” he said.

Mousavi also confirmed that there have been “new developments” in ties between Iran and the United Arab Emirates recently.

“We welcome any move that helps reduce tensions and brings together regional countries, especially with the Emirates,” he said. “We hope our friends in the Persian Gulf region would arrive at this conclusion that they will find no better friend than Iran if they are looking for stability and peace.”

Mousavi, however, refused to comment on reports that a UAE security official has traveled to Iran. The spokesman, instead, confirmed that officials from the two countries have held meetings recently and “hopefully these meetings would improve ties between the two countries.”

He also dismissed claims by Bahraini officials that Iran has over the past years channeled explosives and weapons to the tiny Persian Gulf island.

“Sometimes it seems like these people can’t go to sleep without making such allegations,” he responded. “These accusations are based on illusion and can’t be accepted.”

Calling for better relations with Bahrain and other Persian Gulf countries, Mousavi expressed regret over Manama’s decision to host an Israeli delegation for an upcoming security conference.

“It’s so sad that a country that claims to be Islamic and Arabic, moves to normalize ties with such a regime after 70 years of atrocities, rights violations and child killings,” he said. “We condemn this presence which is very unpleasant.”

Elsewhere, Mousavi said Tehran was ready to unleash the 4th step in its measured response to the violation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

He also slammed Europe for failing to counter US pressure to destroy the deal, the future of which remains uncertain more than a year after President Donald Trump pulled out of it and targeted Iran with new sanctions.

“Iran’s economy will continue to thrive and work together with other countries of the world with or without the Europeans,” Mosauvi said.

“The 4th step is ready,” he asserted, adding “we hope that implementing the 4th step will not be necessary and we will begin to see special steps taken by the remaining signatories. Otherwise Iran is ready to take the 4th step.”

He also went on to say that some twenty Iranian people are jailed in various countries in the world on the false charge of bypassing the U.S. sanctions, and Iran has proposed a list to the U.S. to have them released.

Addressing a press conference in Tehran on Monday, Mousavi said “some twenty people” are imprisoned over the “baseless” accusations of bypassing the U.S.’ unilateral sanctions on Iran, and the country is pursuing their release.

He announced that the country has sent a list of names it is demanding in a prisoner swap with the United States and other Western nations.

The spokesman said the detainees have been jailed on delusional and illegal charges, and must be released.