Iran says Turkey’s Syria ceasefire criticism "unconstructive”

Tehran has said Turkey’s remarks that Iran’s allies were violating the fragile ceasefire in Syria are “unconstructive,” accusing opposition fighters of breaching the ceasefire, according to AFP.

"The current ceasefire in Syria has been violated repeatedly by the ‘anti-government’ armed opposition groups," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Wednesday.

"(Turkey) should take necessary measures to deal with several instances of ceasefire violation by these groups and at the same time refrain from taking unreal stances and accusing other parties."

The ministry spokesman’s comments came as a response to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who accused Wednesday Assad regime of violating the ceasefire, warning that such violations put the planned peace talks in Kazakhstan’s Astana in jeopardy.

Ghasemi criticized the "unconstructive remarks" and said they could "further complicate the current situation" in Syria.

A countrywide ceasefire in Syria was declared on Thursday (29 December 2016), after Turkey, Russia and opposition fighting factions reached a deal in the Turkish capital Ankara. According to the deal, Turkey and Russia would act as guarantor countries for the implementation of the ceasefire.