Blinken calls Turkey's Fidan, as Iran's FM arrives in Ankara

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 04:36

Turkey finds itself at the center of talks regarding the ongoing terror offensive on northern Syrian areas, as both the US and Iran hold discussions with Ankara.

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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, meets with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Prague, Czech Republic, on May 30, 2024. (AP)

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan about the "rapidly developing" situation in Syria, according to State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller.

Blinken stressed "the need for de-escalation and the protection of civilian lives and infrastructure in Aleppo and elsewhere," which have been subject to an ongoing terror offensive, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terror organization.

On the other hand, Fidan told Blinekn that Ankara was "against any development that would increase instability in the region," adding that the country will "support moves to reduce tension in Syria."

It is worth noting that both Turkey and the US maintain occupation forces in different regions of Syria and back their respective insurgent groups.

At almost the same time as the public release of the call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Ankara for talks with Turkish officials, shortly after reaffirming Tehran's steadfast support for the Syrian government during a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey publicly distances itself from terror groups

Earlier, Fidan said that the Turkish government is not involved in the ongoing conflict in Aleppo and that it is taking precautions to prevent a potential displacement wave.

Amid the prompt activation of HTS, along with several other terrorist factions, attacking Syria's Aleppo and Idlib provinces, as well as their countryside, Fidan stated that the United States provides the lifeline of such terrorist groups in the region, noting that they would be "unable to continue for three days without Washington's support."

Fidan claimed that Turkey "would never allow the terrorist structure in Syria to turn into a state."

However, field sources reported that since the Turkish-backed National Army militia participated in the battle alongside HTS, this reflected clear Turkish support for HTS—designated as a terrorist organization—to secure any gains on the frontlines after Turkey's failure to achieve political advancements in its relations with the Syrian government.

The sources further noted that Turkey aims to leverage this support to pressure the Syrian government into entering new negotiations to normalize relations with Ankara.