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Zarif Calls U.S. An Unreliable Ally And an 'Occupier' In Syria


Turkish-backed Syrian rebel fighters gather near the Syrian-Turkish border north of Aleppo, October 7, 2019
Turkish-backed Syrian rebel fighters gather near the Syrian-Turkish border north of Aleppo, October 7, 2019

As controversy continues over a planned Turkish incursion into Syria, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the U.S. “an irrelevant occupier” in Syria and an unreliable ally.

Zarif's tweeted his condemnation of the U.S. role in Syria almost immediately after news of a possible U.S. troop withdrawal came out.

News that President Donald Trump has agreed to pull out U.S. troops and allow Turkey to enter the Kurdish held territory, political controversy erupted in Washington, where even prominent Republicans questioned Trump’s decision for possibly abandoning Kurdish forces.

As pressure mounted Trump tried to shift his position by threatening Turkey economically “if they do anything outside what we think is humane.”

Kurds have been allies of the United States in Syria in the fight against the Islamic Group. They supplied the ground forces that eventually eradicated the Islamic Caliphate IS had set up. Turkey considers the Kurdish forces as “terrorists” and insists it needs a “safety zone” along the border”.

Zarif said it is “futile to seek” U.S. permission, and questioned relying on security promised by the U.S., in a possible reference to both Turkey and the Kurds.

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