The Syrian regime government refuses any dialogue with Türkiye before Ankara announces a withdrawal of its troops from Syria’s northern territories, according to a statement of Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Tuesday.
Mekdad’s comments during a joint news conference with Iran’s acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, came after Türkiye warned in recent days to move against the PKK terrorist group's Syrian wing YPG in Syria’s northeast as they prepare to hold so-called “municipal elections” next week.
Türkiye has launched three major cross-border operations into Syria since 2016 to liberate regions occupied by terrorist groups and now controls some territories in the north. Ankara was a main backer of the Syrian opposition fighting against the Assad regime and its allies, as well as the YPG and other assorted terrorist groups. It is also hosting more than 3.5 million refugees from its neighbors.
Attempts to reconcile between Syria and Türkiye have failed to achieve progress since early 2023 despite meetings in Moscow between the countries' foreign ministers and defense ministers.
“The main condition to any Syrian-Turkish dialogue is for Ankara to announce its readiness to withdraw from our lands that it occupies,” Mekdad said. “We do not negotiate with those who occupy our land.”
Bagheri Kani said Tehran has always supported the territorial integrity of all regional countries, particularly Syria. “We have supported and will continue to support Syria in its battle against terrorism,” he said, in reference to Syrian opposition groups that Damascus and Tehran consider terrorist organizations.
Iran and Russia, the main backers of Assad who took part in Syria’s conflict that has killed half a million people, have tried to mediate between Türkiye and Syria in the past. Over the years, Syrian regime forces have taken control of most parts of Syria with their help.
On Türkiye’s support to Syrian opposition groups in the north, Mekdad said: “It is not permissible for the Turkish occupation of Syrian lands to continue to support terrorist organizations in northern Syria.”
Last week, they said Ankara won’t hesitate to act against the PKK/YPG in northern Syria if they proceed with plans to hold “local elections” in the region on June 11. It said it considers it a threat to its national security and the territorial integrity of Syria.
Türkiye says its support for the Syrian opposition’s armed forces primarily aims to ensure a terror-free northern Syria immediately across the Turkish border, which suffered several cross-border attacks by the PKK in the past.
