Russia, Iran, and Turkey reject Syrian Kurdish self-rule

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia, Iran, and Turkey said in a joint statement on Thursday, July 8 that they reject Kurdish self-rule in northeastern Syria, a sign of opposition to the continued presence of the U.S. in the region, Kurdistan 24 reports.

The three countries reject "all attempts to create new realities on the ground, including illegitimate self-rule initiatives under the pretext of combating terrorism," they said during the 16th International Meeting on Syria in the Astana Format, in the Kazakhstan capital of Nur-Sultan.

They also "reaffirmed their determination to stand against separatist agendas in the east of the Euphrates aimed at undermining the unity of Syria as well as threatening the national security of neighboring countries."

Russia, Iran, and Turkey further expressed their opposition "to the illegal seizure and transfer of oil revenues that should belong to the Syrian Arab Republic," the joint statement added.

On 20 December 2016, the foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey, and Russia agreed to hold peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. Some analysts view the Astana talks as an attempt by Russia, Turkey, and Iran to undermine the UN-backed Syria talks in Geneva. So far, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been excluded from the talks in both Geneva and Astana. In 2019, the three countries expressed "their determination to stand against separatist agendas."