Turkey confirms diplomatic success in preventing Russian, Iranian military intervention in Syria during Assad's fall
Fidan argued that had Assad obtained Russian and Iranian support, "the opposition's success would have taken much longer and would have been bloodier."
Dec. 14, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan verified that his country was successful in persuading both Russia and Iran to refrain from military interference in Syria during the opposition forces' offensive that eventually led to Bashar al-Assad's demise.
In an interview with Turkish channel NTV, Hakan Fidan stated, "The most vital matter was engaging in dialogue with the Russians and Iranians to confirm they wouldn't interfere militarily in the equation. We conversed with them, and they understood."
"To reduce losses, we worked to attain the objective without spilling blood through targeted negotiations with two important sides capable of using force," Fidan added.
Fidan argued that had Assad obtained Russian and Iranian support, "the opposition's success would have taken much longer and would have been bloodier."
He further clarified, "The Russians and Iranians understood that this no longer made sense. The man [Bashar al-Assad] they invested in was no longer worth the investment.”
He also underlined that both Russia and Iran realized that the conditions in the region and the world were no longer the same as a decade before.
As an eleven-day offensive gripped Syria starting on Nov. 27, 2024, the Syrian opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) eventually toppled the Assads’ half-a-century dynasty on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024.
It was later revealed that the ousted president Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia with his family, according to Russian news agencies.
Quite a few countries, chiefly in the region, have raised concerns about HTS, an organization that is still categorized as terrorist by Western countries despite claiming its alleged separation from al-Qaeda.
Fidan recognized it was "totally natural" to have such "fears" about HTS but specified that "a solution must be found."
He stated that Turkey has solid background knowledge of the group, adding that, “We want a Syria without terrorism (...) that doesn't pose a threat to regional countries."
The minister clarified that due to having an open communication channel with HTS, Turkey is able to directly express these concerns to the organization.
"We communicate this to the Damascus administration. We tell them: Turkey, which has backed you for years, and the world, anticipate this from you (...) Our obligation and their test is to deal with these concerns."