Iran Asks Turkey to Confront Violation of Syrian Ceasefire Instead of Playing Blame Game

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi made the remark in reaction to the recent claims by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

“The unconstructive claims of Turkish officials will just make the ongoing conditions further complicated and increase problems facing political solution to Syrian crisis,” he said.

Qassemi underlined that as a partner in Moscow tripartite meeting, Iran emphasizes serious implementation of the agreements, expecting the Turkish officials as another party to the agreements to refuse taking stances which are contrary to the existing realities and commitments of the country.

Noting that the ongoing ceasefire in Syria has been repeatedly violated by the armed opposition groups, he said that more than 45 cases of violation of ceasefire by the armed groups have been reported in a single day.

“Regarding the realities, if they (the Turks) are after establishment of lasting ceasefire and preparation of grounds for success of political dialogue to end the Syrian crisis, as the party guaranteeing commitment of the armed groups in Moscow agreement, they should take necessary arrangements and confront the repeated cases of violation of ceasefire by the (armed) groups, while avoiding taking the stances which do not go with realities and raising allegations against other parties,” Qassemi said.

“Evidently, as it has strived for stabilization of ceasefire and facilitation of diplomatic solution to the crisis in Syria, the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its policies,” he added.

Reports said on Tuesday that the Syrian army troops and air force targeted ISIL’s positions and the concentration centers of other militant groups that had breached the newly-brokered ceasefire in different parts of Hama, inflicting major losses on the militants.

The army men fended off terrorists’ attack on government force’ positions in al-Sat’hiyat region Southwest of the town of al-Salamiyah, killing or wounding a number of them and forcing the rest to retreat from the battlefield.

Also, on Monday, Jeish al-Islam militants once again stormed the Syrian army positions in Eastern Ghouta, breaching the newly-brokered nationwide truce.

Syrian Army troops fended off Jeish al-Islam’s offensive on their positions in the towns of al-Reihan and Hawsh Nasri.

In the meantime, the terrorist groups attacked the army’s defense lines in Harazma for the second day in a row, but failed and their attack was repelled by the army men.