Iran condemns airstrikes, opposes Turkey’s entry into Syria

Hussein Amirabudorahian made the comments at the start of a visit to the Syrian capital Damascus, where he is expected to discuss mutual relations and regional affairs with senior Syrian officials.

Iran has been one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s strongest backers, sending thousands of fighters from the region to help his forces deal with Syria’s 11-year conflict. The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced half of the country’s prewar population of 23 million.

Amira Budolahian’s visit came hours after an Israeli airstrike on a Syrian coastal village near the Lebanese border wounded two people, according to Syrian state media.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said several times that he was planning to create a 30-kilometer (19-mile) deep buffer zone in Syria along the Turkish border for major Military action.

He said he would do so by invading Syrian Kurdish fighters allied with the United States across the border — an attempt that failed in 2019.

“We understand neighbouring Turkey’s concerns, but we oppose any military measures in Syria,” Amirabdollahian said, adding that Iran was trying to resolve “misunderstandings between Turkey and Syria” through dialogue.Analysts say Erdogan is taking advantage of the war Ukraine Push your goals in Syria.Turkey agreed this week to lift opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATOsaid the Nordic countries had agreed to crack down on groups Ankara deems a threat to national security, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its extension in Syria.

Turkey has asked Finland and Sweden to extradite wanted people and lift arms restrictions imposed after Turkey’s 2019 military invasion
Northeastern Syria.

Amirabdollahian slammed Israel for trying to destabilize Syria with airstrikes and showing the country’s lack of security.

The Israeli attack was the first since an air strike on the Syrian capital’s Damascus International Airport on June 10, causing major damage to infrastructure and runways, rendering the main runway unusable. The airport was closed for two weeks and flights resumed on June 23.

State news agency SANA said Israeli warplanes flew over northern Lebanon and fired missiles at several chicken farms in the village of Hamidiyeh, south of the coastal city of Tartus. The attack occurred a few kilometers (miles) north of the Lebanese border.

Two people, including a woman, were injured and material damage was caused, SANA said.

Israel has launched hundreds of attacks on targets in Syria over the years, but such actions are rarely acknowledged or discussed. Israel said it was targeting Iranian-aligned militias bases such as Hezbollah, whose fighters deployed in Syria fought alongside Assad government forces and transported weapons believed to be destined for the militias.

The strike at Damascus International Airport marks a major escalation in the Israeli campaign, further fueling tensions between Israel on the one hand and the militant Hezbollah group of Iran and its Lebanese ally on the other.