Rouhani and Erdogan Discuss US Attack on Syria

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, in a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, criticized what he termed the "problematic actions" of the US and Israel, calling for all countries to show sensitivity towards illegal interventions in the region. According to IRNA news agency, on Tuesday, April 17, Rouhani emphasized that until the results of the investigations by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are clear, no country should be allowed to take military action. He described the missile attack by the US and two European countries on Syrian military research and chemical weapon depots as "aggressive" and added, "This is a very ugly precedent in international relations that a few powerful and bullying countries can attack a country whenever they wish." On Saturday, April 14, Rouhani had also told Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that the attacks by the US and two European countries against the Syrian government were "against international principles and a clear support for terrorism." On the same day, the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran referred to the missile attacks by the US, UK, and France against the Syrian government as a "crime." However, the Turkish Foreign Ministry welcomed the attacks on Syria and accused Damascus of "crimes against humanity." Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Bekir Bozdağ stated that Turkey's stance on Syria is not aligned with or against any other country, and its policies in the region differ from those of Iran, Russia, and the United States. US President Donald Trump ordered the attack on Syrian military research and chemical weapon depots in coordination with France and the UK. He also warned Russia and Iran to stop supporting the Assad government. Reports from state media in Syria and Russia indicate that OPCW inspectors were able to enter the area to investigate the recent chemical attack in Douma. The inspectors had entered Syria on Saturday but had not yet been able to visit the area where the chemical attack occurred. Rouhani, in his phone conversation with Erdogan, also stated that the recent developments in Syria "highlight the importance of joint cooperation between Iran, Turkey, and Russia." He emphasized that currently, "reducing tensions in Syria and preventing Western countries' intervention can be two principles that we can discuss." Since January 2017, Russia, Iran, and Turkey have held meetings in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, aimed at establishing peace in Syria, which led to the creation of four areas known as "de-escalation zones" in Syrian territory. Meanwhile, according to reports from the Iranian presidency, Erdogan also called for speeding up the actions of the three countries regarding Syria and stated that "all parties" should assist OPCW inspectors in uncovering the truth. Erdogan emphasized, "As we stressed in the summit in Ankara, we will not allow known circles to divide Syria and intervene in its affairs." Iran had previously demanded that Turkish forces withdraw from the Kurdish region of Afrin in Syria, but Erdogan stated that Turkish military units would remain until securing areas controlled by the People's Protection Units. Rouhani also criticized what he termed the "interventions and problematic actions" of Israel in the region. His statements come as Israel has officially remained silent about the attack on the T-4 base, although Russia attributed the attack to Israel last week. On Monday, Thomas Friedman, an American journalist, wrote in the New York Times that an Israeli official confirmed to him that Israel carried out the attack on the T-4 base last Monday morning. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 14 people, including several Iranians, were killed in this attack. Media close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard confirmed the return of the bodies of seven Iranian military personnel, including a colonel. Some other Iranian media described this senior military figure as responsible for Iran's drone unit in Syria. Rouhani's protest against the actions of other countries in Syria comes at a time when Iran's intervention in Syria and support for Assad has also faced widespread criticism within Iran. Some participants in protests last December in over a hundred cities in Iran chanted, "Leave Syria, think about us." Farmers in Isfahan have also repeated this slogan in recent days in protest against severe water shortages in the province. Some political activists in Iran have severely criticized the actions of Qassem Soleimani and the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard in the region, attributing the emergence of ISIS to Soleimani's mismanagement. For instance, Mehdi Khazali, a political critic, stated in a video that if Soleimani had not been present in Syria, "there would be no ISIS in Syria now."