Iran Sides with Russia in Its Dispute with Turkey
Iran Joins Dispute Between Turkey and Russia
December 8, 2015OilPrice.com - Tehran says it is trying to ease the tensions that have been growing between Ankara and Moscow since Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet last month, yet some of Iran’s media apparently have been siding with Russia, repeating its contention that Turkey’s leadership was involved in oil trade with the Islamic State (IS).
Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameni, said it was Tehran’s duty to mediate the tensions between Turkey and Russia because “[i]t is not rightful that tensions to be piled up” in the region.
Because the incident occurred between two countries with different goals, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said at the time that the incident “sends the wrong message to the terrorists” in Syria.
And during the past week, some Iranian media, which publishes only with the permission of Tehran’s government, have been repeating these accusations. Erdogan said he spoke of this on Thursday by telephone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, saying, “You will pay a high price if it continues like that.” He didn’t elaborate.
Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic defended his country's behavior throughout the campaign against IS, saying it was guided by “principled policies” as it sought a solution to problems in the region caused by both Assad and IS.“The continuation of policies and positions that, wanted or unwanted, have led to the support of terrorism in Syria and Iraq, only escalate the current crisis in the region and increase problems for countries that continue such policies.”
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