Iran lends support to Turkey’s Kurdish bid

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Jalili speaks during an Istanbul meeting. DHA photo

Iran supports any action Turkey takes to protect its unity and solidarity, referring to the withdrawal of outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants from Turkish soil as part of the ongoing peace process, according to an Iranian official.

“We support any action that will increase the integrity of Turkey or Iraq. We support this [the withdrawal of the PKK] if it provides the unity and integrity in Turkey,” said Saeed Jalili, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, at a press conference held in the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul yesterday. “We consider Turkey’s security to be the same as our security. Security is an indispensable element. If any factor is strengthening politics, then we welcome it, not only for Turkey but for the regional countries,” said Jalili, also Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator. Jalili also talked about the recent attacks in the town of Reyhanlı on the border with Syria, in which 52 people were killed. “We further condemn this attack against our brothers, the Turkish people.” he said.

Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has reacted against the central Iraqi government’s stance against the deployment of the PKK militants in northern Iraq. Cabar Yaver, the Peshmarga Ministry spokesperson of the KRG, said the area has never been under the control of any state. Baghdad is reportedly preparing to take the issue to the United Nations Security Council.