Syria raid cracks three-way alliance

At the joint press conference held at the end of the Turkish-Russian-Iranian leaders’ Syria summit hosted by Turkey, stressing that they would adopt a joint position against Western countries’ sabotage aimed at destroying the three countries’ efforts over Syria, they conveyed the message, “No country has the right to decide on Syria’s future.”

However, following US President Donald Trump’s statement that an early morning air raid had been mounted on Syria, different reactions came from the three countries.

With Russia and Iran condemning the raid launched by the US, UK and France, the Turkish Foreign Ministry, making its first statement about the air raid four and a half hours later, stated that it welcomed the raid.

The statements coming from Russia, Iran and Turkey about the Syrian raid are as follow:

Russia: Will not go unanswered

In the first statement from Russia about the raid launched against Syria, the US was stated to have breached international rules.

Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, condemned the US, UK and France’s raid on the Assad regime. Zakharova said in a statement she made on social media hours after the air raid made on Syria’s capital of Damascus in response to the suspected chemical weapons attack that took place last week in Syria that Syria had come under attack at a time when there was a chance for peace.

Iran: There will be regional consequences

The Iranian Foreign Ministry criticised in harsh terms the raid staged by the US, UK and France on Syria’s capital of Damascus and warned of the consequences.

In the statement made by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, it criticised in harsh terms the raid staged on the capital Damascus in response to the chemical attack that was staged last week in the Douma district of Syria’s Eastern Ghouta area. The ministry said the raid would give rise to serious consequences in the region.

Foreign Ministry: We welcome it

The Foreign Ministry announced that it welcomed this operation that eased humanity’s conscience in the face of the Douma attack suspected to have been carried out by the regime.

The statement made by the ministry read as follows:

“Turkey considers the operation carried out early this morning by the United States, United Kingdom and France to be an appropriate response to the chemical attack which caused the deaths of many civilians in Douma on 7 April. We welcome this operation which has eased humanity’s conscience in the face of the attack in Douma, largely suspected to have been carried out by the regime.

Attacks with weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons, that indiscriminately target civilians constitute crimes against humanity. The Syrian regime, which has been tyrannizing its own people for more than seven years, be it with conventional or chemical weapons, has a proven track record of crimes against humanity and war crimes. The conscience of the international community carries no doubt to that effect.

Turkey believes that it is of critical importance that such crimes do not go unpunished and that accountability is ensured in order to prevent the recurrence of similar crimes.

In light of this experience, it is essential for the international community, in particular the members of the UN Security Council, to agree upon joint steps to ensure that the use of chemical weapons does not go unpunished.”

Suriye'ye operasyon 3'lü ittifakı çatlattı