Daily Times

ANKARA/BEIRUT: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met Iranian president Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Wednesday amidst rising tension over Syria.

Earlier this week, Iran urged Turkey to stop its military offensive in Syria, saying the operation in the northern Afrin region breached Syrian sovereignty and would increase tension in the war-damaged country. “Under the current circumstances, more consultation and cooperation is needed to resolve the Syria crisis,” Rouhani said at the meeting, according to Iranian state media.

“We have to strive for a situation where no country in the region feels danger or a threat from its neighbours,” he added, according to media.

Meanwhile, France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that Turkey and Iran were both violating international law through their actions in Syria, France’s toughest comments yet on Turkish involvement in the Syrian conflict.

Speaking on BFM television, Jean-Yves Le Drian also said there were indications Syrian government forces were using toxic gas against civilians. Asked whether he wanted Turkish armed forces to withdraw from Syria, Le Drian replied that he wanted “the withdrawal of all of those who ought not to be in Syria, including Iranian militia, including Hezbollah.” While not specifically calling for Turkey to pull back from an offensive against Kurdish militias in northern Syria, he said Ankara should not worsen the conflict. “Ensuring the security of its borders does not mean killing civilians and that should be condemned. In a dangerous situation in Syria, (Turkey) should not add war to war.”

France has backed the Syrian opposition during the seven-year war and is part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting against Islamic State militants.

Le Drian said international law “is being violated by Turkey, by the Damascus regime, by Iran and those who are attacking (rebel-held areas) eastern Ghouta and Idlib”. Turkey launched an operation in Syria last month against Kurdish militia which it views as allies of separatists fighting an insurgency in southern Turkey.

Published in Daily Times, February  8^th2018.