Iran speaks to Turkey about attacks on civilians in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In a phone call on Thursday with his Turkish counterpart, Iran’s foreign minister raised concerns about recent news of attacks on civilians in Syria.

Minister Abbas Araghchi “voiced concern about news published on the arbitrary actions of armed groups against ordinary people and civilians in the Shiite and Alawite areas and demanded the protection of the rights of minorities,” the foreign ministry said of his phone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Araghchi added that Iran supports “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and the need to avoid internal conflicts and the formation of an inclusive government with the participation of all political, ethnic, and religious currents.”

Iran was a staunch supporter of Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime, which was toppled on December 8 by a coalition of rebel groups that are spearheaded by the Islamist Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and are close to Turkey.

Since the fall of Assad, members of the Alawite minority that were the backbone of the regime, have reported being harassed and threatened.

Iran last month accused the United States and Israel of being behind the recent developments in Syria and accused them of having a “master plan” for the Middle East after a Washington official said there would be no place for Iran in the new Syria.

The new Syrian authorities subsequently warned Iran against “spreading chaos” in their country and called on Tehran to respect the will of the Syrian people.