Turkish-Iranian détente coming under fire

Islam Mohamed

Arab countries are criticizing growing cooperation between Iran and Turkey on a number of regional files.

This cooperation is impinging on the sovereignty of Arab states.

Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League Hossam Zaki said Turkey is following in Iran’s footsteps as far as its hostility to the Arabs is concerned.

He referred to an Arab League resolution on March 4 in which the Arab countries denounced Turkish interference in Arab affairs, especially in Libya, Syria and Iraq.

He said the Arab League condemns interference by both Iran and Turkey in Arab affairs.

Neither the Iranians nor the Turks act as good neighbors, Zaki said. This has to come to an end.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif visited Turkey recently and held a press briefing with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. He declared his country’s support to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).

The GNA, he said, is capable of ending the war in Libya in its favor.

He added that his country shares Turkey’s view on means of ending the wars in both Libya and Yemen.

Ankara came under fire for violating Iraqi sovereignty by launching an operation against the Kurds in northern Iraq.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad and handed him an official protest against the Turkish incursion into Iraq.

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Abul Gheit said the Turkish incursion is a violation against Iraqi sovereignty. This incursion, he said, is happening the absence of coordination with the Iraqi government.

This shows that Turkey does not care about international law or its relations with its neighboring countries, Abul Gheit said.