28 Mar 2024
Saturday 13 May 2017 - 11:11
Story Code : 260622

Why Turkey fences off Iran with a wall, towers and barbed wire

Sputnik - Turkish Hurriyet Daily News has recently reported that Ankara will build a wall with towers and iron fences along the Turkish-Iranian border as a protective measure against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Iranian political analyst Hassan Hanizadeh commented to Sputnik on the effort saying that his home country poses no threat to its neighbors.


Turkey is planning tobuild a wall alongthe Turkish-Iranian border aspart ofmeasures againstthe Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), outlawed inTurkey, the newspaper reported onMonday, citing some high-level official.


"The PKK has the Maku, Dambat, Navur, Kotr, Keneresh and ?ehidan camps insideIran nearthe Turkish border. There are some 800 to1,000 PKK terrorists inthose camps. They enter Turkey, carry outattacks and leave," it quotes the official assaying, adding that they "escape tothose camps when security operations are conducted" inthe Turkish eastern province ofAgr? and the Mount Tendrek region.
"As a precaution againstthis, we are going tobuild a wall along70 kilometers ofthe border nearAgr? and [the eastern province of] Igd?r, and we will close the rest ofit withtowers and iron fences. In addition, we are placing lights onthe border," the source stated.


The outlet reminded that Turkey previously built a wall alongthe Syrian border inorder toprevent the PKK and the Islamic State (Daesh) fromcarrying outsuicide attacks.
Iranian officials have not yet commented onthe issue. However the country's Persian language daily newspaper Ettelaat reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry has expressed its indignation. The outlet quoted its source inthe ministry assaying that the Iranian government is aware ofTurkey's plans, however it thinks that Ankara should officially notify Tehran ofthe planned measures attheir joint border and get Iranian agreement.


Sputnik Persian sat downwith Hassan Hanizadeh, Iranian political analyst and expert onMiddle Eastern issues, former chief editor ofthe country's leading news agency MehrNews totalk aboutany potential terrorist threat which Iran might pose toTurkey.
"Iran poses no threat toany ofits neighbors. Conversely, present-day Iran is a guarantor ofsecurity and a symbol ofthe fight againstterrorism inthe whole ofthe Middle East," he told Sputnik.


"The construction ofa wall ona joint border does not ensure any security inthe area. It is known only too well that the core ofstability and security ofa country lies inthe national unity ofits people," he said.


The political analyst further explained that the latest developments inTurkey, particularly the internal policies ofPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government, have caused internal discontent and disagreements. The Kurdish national group, which amounts to20 million people, has been virtually forced outto the border areas.

The Turkish authorities have deprived this ethnic group ofits basic national rights and social freedoms, he said. This can only provoke discontent and disagreement inthe Turkish society.
The construction ofthe wall onthe Turkish-Iranian border, Hassan Hanizadeh said, will have no impact onthe security withinTurkey and is initself absurd. Iran is one ofthe very few stable and secure countries inthe Middle East. Iran has defied international terrorism and is waging war againstthis evil, he said.


He reiterated that Iran poses no threat toany state, especially toits neighbor Turkey. Turkey's measure will only lead tomore political isolation.
Iran, forits part, has taken all possible measures tostrengthen the joint borders and these measures have not been directed againstits neighbor. Besides this, the political analyst said, international legislation binds any country toact inconcord withits neighbor inthe areas ofjoint borders. It should not only notify its neighbor ofa certain activity atthe border butobtain its agreement forit.


In this particular case, according tointernational legislation, Turkey should have got the agreement ofthe Iranian authorities forthe construction ofa wall alongthe joint border withIran. However it has failed todo so.


Hassan Hanizadeh also noted that it is a highly costly measure, which still won't guarantee any security inTurkey. Iran therefore is calling fordialogue withTurkey onthe issue. The political analyst recalled that the two countries are successfully cooperating ona number ofissues, such asthe recent Syrian peace talks inAstana, where both Ankara and Tehran supported Russia's initiative onthe setup ofde-escalation zones inSyria.

With regards toTurkey's security and construction ofthe wall onthe joint border, Ankara should be more rational, patient and should not rush toact onits own. It should talk toits neighbor Iran and get its agreement, he finally stated.
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