Dr. Mahmoud Al-Afandi to Ugarit: Russia and Iran were able to persuade Turkey to stop its military operation in Syria… and the focus of the Tehran meeting is an irreplaceable alternative to resolving the Syrian crisis

The following is the full text of the interview conducted by “Ugarit Post” with Dr. Mahmoud Al-Affendi:

How do you evaluate the talks of the tripartite summit in Tehran regarding the Syrian file?

The final statement at the tripartite summit in the Iranian capital, Tehran, spoke of the absence of a political solution to the Syrian crisis with the presence of US forces, and that the only solution in the future is the withdrawal of US forces from Al-Tanf and the regions of north and east Syria.

On this basis, the final statement and the statements of Russian President Vladimir Putin came, that the presence of the US forces is meaningless, as the government forces can eliminate ISIS terrorist cells along with the Syrian Democratic Forces as well. The presence of the US forces impedes the arrival of Syria’s economic reservoir to the government as well as the solution politics in Syria.

Can Russia and Iran revive the political process in Syria after their statements in the Tehran meeting?

The tripartite meeting in Tehran is the only successful one with regard to all political axes related to the Syrian file, and actually the participating countries provided good results as they were able to achieve many settlement and reconciliation processes, in addition to stabilizing the state of calm in many areas and stopping the war since the Astana meetings.

Was Moscow and Tehran able to stop the Turkish military operation against northern Syria, despite the Turkish president’s threats during and after the tripartite meeting?

Yes, Russia and Iran were able to persuade Turkey to stop its military operation in Syria, and the reason is that the Turks obtained guarantees from the Syrian government that its forces will enter the areas that Ankara fears, and Russia will be able to control the security line and the Sochi Agreement.

There will be joint security patrols between Russia, government forces and Turkey as well, and thus Moscow, Tehran and Damascus were able to persuade Turkey to stop the military operation.

Is the tripartite meeting in Tehran the beginning of forming a new alliance that might draw new solutions to the Syrian crisis?

Of course, the three countries participating in the Tehran meeting can find solutions to the Syrian crisis, and it is very important that this alliance continue to exist in the future, as the main problem that complicates the Syrian crisis is the United States of America, so the tripartite alliance will hold future meetings to ensure its permanent continuity in making special decisions with the Syrian file.