Iran warns regional countries against spread of terrorism

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu warned against the spread of terrorism and extremism in the Middle East region.

“The countries in the region should act responsibly with regard to the current situation and do not contribute to the exacerbation of the situation in the region,” Zarif said during the telephone conversation.

The Turkish foreign minister, for his part, expounded on the issue of Turkey’s military operations in its neighboring crisis-hit countries (Iraq and Syria), affirming that Ankara is committed to respecting the sovereignty of regional states.

On Thursday, Turkey’s 550-seat parliament voted 298-98 in favor of the motion that would provide the legal grounds for Ankara to deploy forces to Iraq and Syria. The motion will last for one year.

Political analysts believe that the controversial decision by the lawmakers pave the way for Turkey to launch attacks against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) Takfiri terrorists, members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and even Syrian government forces.

The Turkish government, according to the motion, could also allow foreign forces to use the country’s soil for their operations.

Legislators from Turkey’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the People’s Democracy Party (HDP) were among those who voted against the mandate.

The parliament’s decision came days after the government stationed some 15 tanks that took position in the border town of Mursitpinar situated northwest of the Syrian border town of Ain al-Arab, known as Kobane to Kurds.

Since September 23, the United States and its allies have been conducting airstrikes against the ISIL inside Syria without authorization from Damascus or a United Nations mandate.