he Iranian Foreign Ministry called for stopping the Turkish aggression on Syria, stressing the necessity of protecting the territorial integrity of Syria.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran closely follows the ongoing developments in the Syrian city of Afrin, and hopes that this (Turkish) operation will end immediately to prevent the deepening of the crisis in the border regions of Turkey and Syria,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said in a statement on Sunday.

He added that Iran “seriously stresses the necessity to protect the territorial integrity of Syria, respect the national sovereignty of the country, and prevent the deterioration of the human tragedy,” noting that the continuation of crisis will result in reinforcing Takfiri terrorist groups in northern Syria and fan the flames of war in the country.

“We believe that Syrian crisis is deeply rooted in irresponsible behavior and the provocative measures taken by trans-regional countries such as the US and also by some overambitious countries in the region and warmongers,’ Qassemi said.

Qassemi urged all countries, especially Syria’s neighboring countries, to stay committed to the political settlement process.