Iran's Rafsanjani Hails Turkey's Move to Join Anti-ISIL Campaign
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Chairman of Iran's Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani referred to the recent change in Turkey's stance towards the ISIL terrorist group as a starting point for the decline of extremists in the region.
Following a suicide bomb attack by ISIL militants in the Turkish city of Suruc, bordering Syria, Turkish planes pounded ISIL positions in Syria on Friday morning, marking a significant shift in Ankara's position on the terrorist group.
Speaking at the beginning of the expediency council's Sunday session, Ayatollah Rafsanjani referred to the development and said that Turkey's involvement in the campaign against ISIL can pave the way for ground offensives against the group.
The change in Turkey's position can be a beacon of hope for the destruction of the terrorist group, he added.
Ayatollah Rafsanjani also touched upon Ankara's move to bomb military positions of Turkey's Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in neighboring Iraq, saying that the attacks will affect regional developments.
His remarks came after Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said on Saturday that Tehran welcomes counter-terrorism efforts by all governments, but at the same time urged for respecting the sovereignty of other states in the fight against extremism.
