Yesterday evening Iranian Chief of Staff, Major General Muhammad Bakiri had a phone conversation with Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar, in which he stated that while there is no negative outcomes of the Olive Branch Operation, the Iranian media “attempts to smear” it.

Despite yesterday’s report where Iranian Chief of Staff Major General Muhammad Bakiri emphasized that “Syria’s territorial integrity, sovereignty rights and civilians are not damaged”, some news agencies, websites and newspapers launched an attempt to smear the Olive Branch Action.

Persian news agency, in a report about Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), stated that the Free Syrian Army (SSO) troops who entered Syria from the Kilis border in order to join the Afrin operation claimed that they were in battle conflict against the “Kurdish forces”.
Iran’s official newspaper “Iranian newspaper” announced in the title about “Afrin campaig” that “Turkey began operations against Kurds in Syria”.

The newspaper “Cihan-ı Sanaat” called thıs operatıon the “new adventure” of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Kasımi, in his speech about the operation of the Olive Branch stated that “Iran is emphasizing the need for the protection of the territorial integrity of Syria, respecting the rights of sovereignty during this humanitarian crisis, protection of civilians and innocent Syrian people’s lifes”
” Asr-ı Iran ” the news website expressed Tehran administration’s negative reaction to the Afrin operation.

The “Merdum Salari” newspaper, wich is linked to government reformists who at the present moment are in power of Iran, stated that “Turkey, attacked the heart of Kurds in Syria”.
“Şark”, another reformist newspaper, announced similar headlines concerning Olive Branch Operation.
In an article of the “Itimat” newspaper published today with a headlines “Turkeys greed for infuence in Syria”, reasons for which Turkey launched an operation against the PKK / PYD groups were listed as follows:
“The Kurdish armed elements take sides with the Assad regime and organizationally and intellectually subordinate to the leader of the terrorist organization, Abdullah Öcalan, to act under the command of the PKK”

The state-run “Mehr” news agency also described the operation as an “assault” to Syrian territory under the excuse of acting against the Assad regime.
Meanwhile, the Iranian state television Press TV regarded to the operation launched by the Turkish Armed Forces, using the headline “Airforce operations against the people of the north of Syria”. Press TV also stated that Assad was out of action.
Various news agencies of the country that cited the news of the Anatolian Agency (AA), refered to the operation with the headlines “The Turkish army hit Kurdish troops in the northern part of Syria”.

The agencies have opted to use the expression “Kurdish groups”, ignoring the expression “terrorist organization PYD / YPG” in the news of the AA.

According to the announcements made earlier by the Turkish Armed Forces, “The operation was proceeded in accordance with international law and the right to self-defense, the operation continued in accordance with the United Nations Security Council’s anti-terrorism resolutions, stated in 1624, 2170 and 2178 Charters and Article 51 of the UN. Despite this Keyhan newspaper in an article published on the occasion of the Olive Branch Operation, stated that it is “an open assault, according to international law and international agreements “.

In the report the attitudes of the US and Russia regarding the operation of the Olive Branch was also criticized, emphasizing that the terrorist organizations have no chance against the Turkish army.

“ISNA” news agency informed that some Kurdish lawmakers issued a joint statement against Turkey, stating in their headlines that “The Kurdish deputies of the Iranian parliament object Turkey’s operation against the Kurds in Syria”.

On the other hand, some agencies such as “World Economy” and “Fararu” handled the Olive Branch Operation with a different and neutral point of view.

World Newspapers commented on this action, saying that “Turkey Armed Forces defused 1000 US-affiliated terrorists “. They also stated that “By proceeding Afrin operation, Turkey threw the ball into the United States area”.