Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug. 16 / Trend A. Tagiyeva /
Iran, competing with Turkey to control the region and trying to prevent Turkey's intervention in the Syrian crisis, may use the issue of Kurdish separatists as a lever of pressure on Ankara, expert at the Turkish-Asian Studies Center (TASAM) Hilmi Ozev said.
"It is not a secret that Iran does not want Turkey to act as a mediator in resolving the Syrian crisis, he told Trend over phone from Istanbul. "Therefore, any factor in the issue of the PKK, which could influence Turkey is Tehran's trump card to remove Ankara's interference."
The second person in the leadership of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Murat Karayilan was detained in Iran, Anadolu agency reported on Sunday with reference to the statement of Chairman of Iran's Parliament Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi. Later this information was denied by Iranian officials.
The expert said that using Karayilan's arrest and the issue of Kurdish separatists in general, Iran may exert pressure on Turkey to prevent its interference in the Syrian crisis, or, conversely, for Ankara to do this according to Tehran's plan.
"Iran supports al-Assad's regime," the expert said. "He has no allies in this issue. It would be great success for Iran to get such an important ally like Turkey."
The expert said that the Turkish authorities' recent statements regarding Syria clearly outlined Ankara's position on this issue. They made it clear that Turkey prepares for intervening in resolving the crisis. This alerted Iran and forced it to look for the ways to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
On Wednesday Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope that the actions made to reform Syria, covered by mass protests and armed clashes over the last five months, will be undertaken in the next 10-15 days, Reuters said.
A few days earlier, Prime Minister Erdogan said that his country's patience comes to an end because of the events in Syria. Ankara intends to publicly declare its tough position to President al-Assad.
Adviser to the Syrian President Buseyna Shaaban said that Ankara will receive a strong response if it accuses Syria of violent reprisals against demonstrators.
"Foreign Minister Davutoglu will hear a decisive answer about the Turkish position, which does not take into account massacres and crimes committed by armed terrorist groups against Syrian innocent civilians and security services," the Syrian state news agency SANA quoted Shaaban.
The expert said that the arrest of one of PKK leaders by Iranian special services gives Iran a chance to hold negotiations with Turkey about the Syrian crisis, where Iran will be able to dictate its rules of the game.
"Karayilan's possible arrest puts Iran in a winning position, so it can count on cooperation with Turkey on the issue with Syria," he said.
Anti-government riots in Syria began in Deraa on March 25. The reason for riots was the arrest of teenagers writing anti-government slogans on walls. These riots later spread to other parts of the country. The population went on streets demanding the release of arrested students. Demonstrations were held in the cities of Latakia, Baniyas, Homs, Hama, and in several suburbs of Damascus.
According to opposition, during the clashes with law enforcement agencies in Syria, more than 500 people died so far.