Iran, Russia, Turkey presidents to talk Syria war in Tehran

By: 3 years ago

This combination of pictures created on July 17, 2022 shows a file photo taken on June 30, 2022 of Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering a video address to participants of the 10th Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum in Saint Petersburg, a handout picture provided by the Iranian presidency on June 11, 2022, of Iran鈥檚 President Ebrahim Raisi during a joint statement with Venezuela鈥檚 president after their meeting in the capital Tehran, and a file photo taken on June 30, 2022 of Turkey鈥檚 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing media representatives during a press conference at the NATO summit at the Ifema congress centre in Madrid. AFP

TEHRAN,听滨谤补苍鈥�With the war in Ukraine still raging, Russian President Vladimir Putin travels Tuesday to Tehran for talks with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts on the Syria conflict.

Russia, Turkey and Iran have in recent years met to discuss Syria as part of the so-called 鈥淎stana peace process鈥� to end more than 11 years of conflict in the Arab country.

All three are involved in Syria, with Russia and Iran supporting the Damascus regime against its opponents, and Turkey backing rebels.

Tuesday鈥檚 summit comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch a new offensive in northern Syria against Kurdish militants.

Iran, whose President Ebrahim Raisi is hosting the meeting, has already warned that any Turkish military action in Syria could 鈥渄estabilise the region鈥�.

The Tehran summit will also enable Erdogan to hold his first meeting with Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

The Turkish president has for months been offering to meet the Russian leader in a bid to help resolve heightened global tensions since the war began.

鈥淭he timing of this summit is not a coincidence,鈥� Russian analyst Vladimir Sotnikov told AFP.

鈥淭urkey wants to conduct a 鈥榮pecial operation鈥� in Syria just as Russia is implementing a 鈥榮pecial operation鈥� in Ukraine,鈥� he said.

Turkey has launched waves of attacks on Syria since 2016, targeting Kurdish militias as well as Islamic State group jihadists and forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Green light?

Erdogan鈥檚 planned military offensive targets Kurdish fighters which Ankara regards as 鈥渢errorists鈥�.

They include the US-backed Kurdish People鈥檚 Protection Units (YPG), which formed a crucial part of an international coalition against the Islamic State group in Syria.

Ankara fears a strong Kurdish presence along its border with Syria will embolden the banned Kurdistan Workers鈥� Party, which for decades has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Syria鈥檚 government has repeatedly condemned Turkish threats to mount a new incursion.

Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe who specialises in Turkish foreign policy, said Ankara wants the blessing of Moscow and Iran before launching its operation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 particularly important because the two potential target regions are under the control of Russia, and Turkey wants to be able to use the airspace鈥� so as to minimise the risks,鈥� he said.

Iran 鈥渁lso has an indirect presence in the region through Shiite militias that it controls鈥�, said Ulgen.

Ultimately, Erdogan is hoping to get 鈥渢he green light鈥� from Putin and Raisi, he added.

Russia has already expressed the hope that Turkey would 鈥渞efrain鈥� from launching an attack on Syria.

Iran, whose foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visited both Ankara and Damascus in recent weeks, has also urged caution.

鈥楧别蝉迟补产颈濒颈锄颈苍驳鈥�

Late last month, Iran鈥檚 top diplomat said in Ankara that 鈥渨e understand that鈥� maybe a special operation might be needed鈥�.

鈥淭urkey鈥檚 security concerns must be tackled fully and permanently.鈥�

Days later, Amir-Abdollahian said in Damascus that Turkish military action in Syria 鈥渨ould be a destabilising element in the region鈥�.

Mazloum Abdi, chief commander of the YPG-linked Syrian Democratic Forces, has urged Russia and Iran to restrain Turkey.

鈥淲e hope (the attacks) will not take place and that the Kurds鈥� will not be forsaken during the talks between the big powers,鈥� he said.

The SDF has warned that an invasion by Ankara would undermine efforts to combat Islamic State group jihadists in Syria鈥檚 northeast.

Nicholas Heras of the Newlines Institute said Iran and Russia 鈥渨ant to prevent another Turkish military campaign in Syria鈥�.

鈥淚ran is building a presence in and around Aleppo that concerns Turkey, and Russia is for all intents and purposes ceding ground to Iran throughout Syria,鈥� he added.

For Iranian political analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi, 鈥渘ew differences鈥� have emerged between Russia, Iran and Turkey following the Ukraine war.

This and an 鈥渦ncertain future鈥�, he said, means the three leaders will try to 鈥渃oordinate鈥� their views on Syria to avoid further tensions.

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Green light?

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