LONDON: Iran urged Turkey on Monday 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.
Turkey last month launched an air and ground campaign, dubbed Operation Olive Branch, against the Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin.
"Turkey should stop its operation and respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.
"Turkey’s actions can bring back insecurity, instability and terrorism to Syria," he added.
Qasemi said any solution to the Syrian crisis should be discussed in talks in the Kazakh capital Astana that are sponsored by Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
He said Iran was in continuous talks with both Turkey and Russia about the latest developments in Syria.
Russia and Iran back Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey supports Assad's opponents.
Ankara considers the U.S.-backed YPG, which controls Afrin, to be a terrorist group and an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has fought an insurgency in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast since 1984.
Iran urges Turkey to stop army offensive in northern Syria
Iran urges Turkey to stop army offensive in northern Syria
Three vessels hit by projectiles in Strait of Hormuz
- A projectile hit a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze
DUBAI: Three vessels have been hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime security agencies and sources said on Wednesday.
One of the strikes led to a fire onboard a ship and forced most of its crew to evacuate it.
The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was targeted and damaged approximately 11 nautical miles north of Oman, two maritime security sources cited by Reuters have said.
The fire had been extinguished and that there was no environmental impact, a report by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said later, referring to the incident. Necessary crew remained on the vessel.
Earlier, a container ship and a bulk carrier were hit off the coast of the UAE by unknown projectiles, UKMTO also said.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery accounting for about 20% of global oil and gas supply, has dropped rapidly since the Iran conflict began on February 28.
The latest incidents increase the number of ships that have been attacked since the conflict began to at least 14.
(with Reuters)
