Tasnim – Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed the situation in northern Syria with his Russian, Iraqi and Syrian counterparts.

In separate telephone conversations on Thursday, Zarif talked with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim, Russia’s Sergei Lavrov, and Syria’s Walid Muallem.

The conversations revolved around the latest situation in the region, particularly in northern Syria.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry says dialogue and consultation with the officials of the regional countries will continue.

On October 9, Turkish military forces and Ankara-backed militants launched a long-threatened cross-border invasion of northeast Syria in a declared attempt to push Kurdish militants from the People's Protection Units (YPG) away from border areas.

Ankara views the US-backed YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984. The YPG constitutes the backbone of the SDF.

Many countries, including Iran, and international organizations such the UN and Arab League have criticized Turkey’s invasion of Syria, calling on Ankara to end the incursion into the Arab country.