Zarif told Al-Mayadeen he believes that the US presence in Syria was illegitimate as it wasn’t approved by the official Syrian government, and it is too early to render conclusions about the outcome of their presence, the IRNA reported.
“They created tensions in the country and contrary to their claim they in no way fought with Daesh,” he said.
Zarif also expressed regret over EU’s interaction on implementing 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), noting that the EU is slow on fulfilling their commitments under the deal, saying that Iran “will not keep waiting until they take practical steps.”
“EU claims that nuclear deal is significant for them, as they intend to benefit from it, but ‘it is impossible to swim without getting wet.’ We have many options available and not using the options following US exit from JCPOA does not mean that we have lost them; rather when national interests require, we will adopt the options and we will never sit waiting for the Europeans unless they take practical steps,” Zarif said.
Zarif also commented on Turkey’s decision to launch operations in Syria against the YPG and PKK in the eastern Euphrates, noting that Ankara should coordinate military operations with the Syrian government.
“We have always said that such operations should be undertaken by the Damascus government. We understand Turkey’s concerns over terrorist acts, but military operations without Damascus approval cannot contribute to solving crisis. We are ready to help them to address their concerns through coordination with the Syrian government,” he said in an address to Turkish officials.
Earlier Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced that Ankara was ready to launch an operation in Syria’s Manbij against Kurdish formations. He later said that he had decided to postpone the start of the military operation in Syria after a telephone conversation with Trump on December 14, at the end of which Trump decided to withdraw US troops from Syria.
Daesh (IS/ISIS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organisation, banned in Russia and other countries.