Iran Intervenes To Stop Turkish Invasion of Northern Syria

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad thanked Iran Saturday night for helping to reduce tension between Damascus and Ankara. Turkey has been threatening in recent weeks to invade northern Syria, launch a military operation against Kurdish militias in the area, and establish a 30-kilometer buffer zone along the border by removing Kurdish-led fighters. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced during a visit to Damascus on Saturday that Tehran would stop a military operation from taking place. Ankara views the Kurdish fighters, who are backed by Russia, Syria, and the United States as terrorists allied with Kurdish insurgents in Turkey. Turkey has conducted three incursions into northern Syria since 2016, which Damascus claims is a violation of its territorial sovereignty. Iran has been a strong ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad during Syria’s 11-year conflict, sending thousands of fighters from around the region and offering economic and political support.