'Turkey, Iran should work jointly to fight PYD/YPG'

By İsmail Cimen

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Turkey and Iran should have the same approach to the fight against PYD/YPG terrorist organization, the Turkish parliament speaker said Monday.

Ismail Kahraman met his Iranian counterpart Ali Larijani as part of official meetings on the sidelines of a six-nation parliamentary conference to debate challenges of terrorism and inter-regional connectivity.

Speakers of Pakistan, China, Russia, Turkey, Afghanistan Iran attended the conference hosted by Islamabad.

The leaders discussed regional and global issues with fighting terrorism high on the agenda.

"A strong cooperation among our countries would stop terrorist organizations to reach their goals in the region," Kahraman said.

He added that disagreement between countries over a solution in Syria had led to the existence of Daesh and PYD/YPG terror groups.

"Wrong ways to fight Daesh opened the way for another terrorist organization: PYD/YPG."

Bilateral relations

The terror group was not only targeting Turkey, but also threatening the unity and integrity of Syria, he said.

"As Turkey and Iran, we should have a joint stance on this issue," Kahraman added.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015.

Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians, including women and children.

The PKK/PYD is the Syrian branch of the terrorist PKK.

Speaking about bilateral relations between Iran and Turkey, Kahraman said cooperation, especially in fields of trade, transportation tourism, gained momentum every day.

The two countries also worked jointly in the fight against terrorism, illegal migration, drug trafficking, and border security, he added.

Astana talks

Larijani said Iran accepted Turkish people as a "brotherly nation".

"We may have differences on certain issues, but we find solutions to the differences through dialogue," he said.

Referring to the Astana talks held between Russia, Turkey, and Iran over Syria crisis, Larijani said the cooperation was "successful" and that the Astana process should continue.

He also promised that neither PKK nor its wings "could breathe in Iran."

"We do not have the slightest relation with them."

About PYD being a threat to Syrian integrity, Larijani said they had the same opinion as Turkey and that they were open to possible scenarios to eliminate them.

Kahraman also held separate meetings with other speakers and later left Pakistan for Turkey.