Erdogan asks Russia and Iran to back Turkey's incursion into Syria

Source: The Guardian

Erdoğan asks Russia and Iran to back Turkey’s incursion into Syria

Turkish president cites Kurdish forces in north-west Syria as justification for extending zone of control

Ruth Michaelson in Istanbul
Wed 20 Jul 2022 10.50 BST
Last modified on Wed 20 Jul 2022 11.07 BST

The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has used trilateral talks with his Iranian and Russian counterparts in Tehran to make the case for a further Turkish incursion into north-western Syria.

Erdoğan cited Kurdish forces in Tel Rifaat and Manbij, two towns in north-west Syria where Russian and Iranian forces are present, as justification for Turkey extending its zone of control in the country. “What we expect from Iran and Russia is to support Turkey in its fight against terrorist organisations,” he told a press conference following the meeting.

The Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Erdoğan against a further invasion during talks at his office, stating that “a military incursion of Syria will benefit terrorists”.

The visit to Tehran provided Erdoğan with an opportunity to reaffirm ties to both Tehran and Moscow, along with plentiful opportunities to court Moscow’s cooperation on key issues.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/20/erdogan-russia-iran-syria-putin-khamenei