Sputnik - Any military actions in Syria should be agreed with the country�s government, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei told Sputnik in an interview.



"As regards Afrin, the Islamic Republic of�Iran, in�accordance with�the UN Charter and international law, advocates for�the preservation of�the territorial integrity of�Syria and believes that any military action and military presence in�Syria should be agreed with�the government of�the Syrian Arab Republic," the ambassador said, commenting on�Turkey�s operation in�Syria�s Afrin.


On January 20, the Turkish Armed Forces launched Operation Olive Branch against�the Kurdish forces in�Afrin, an area controlled by�the US-backed YPG, which are considered by�Ankara to�be affiliates of�the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), designated as�a terrorist organization in�Turkey and several other countries. The operation has been conducted jointly with�the�Free Syrian Army forces.

Sochi Congress on�Syria is a 'Worthy Event'

The Congress of�the Syrian National Dialogue in�Russia�s Black Sea resort of�Sochi has become a big step towards�the Syrian political settlement amid�the lack of�progress at�the UN-led Geneva talks, Mehdi Sanaei said.

"I would like�to say that the Congress of�the Syrian National Dialogue, which was held in�Sochi, was a worthy event. It involved representatives of�various parties, tribes, and religions, and in�my opinion, this is a big step towards�a political settlement of�the�Syrian crisis. Especially given that the Geneva talks lack particular progress," the ambassador said.

Iran-Russia Energy Cooperation

Tehran hopes to�sign contracts with�Russian oil and gas companies in�2018, there is already noticeable progress in�its cooperation, in�particular, with�Rosneft and Gazprom, Mehdi Sanaei stated.

Six large Russian oil and gas companies have memorandums of�understanding and some of�them have already submitted their materials on�the projects, the ambassador noted.
"We hope that all this will lead to�the signing of�contracts in�2018. Companies are exploring the fields, but�some companies are closer to�signing contracts. For example, Rosneft is making good progress, Gazprom is in�serious talks on�LNG, Zarubezhneft has signed a preliminary contract," Sanaei said, adding that among�Russian companies that are also "working well" with�Tehran are Gazprom Neft and LUKoil.


Tehran hopes that an agreement with�Gazprom on�its participation in�the Iran LNG project will be concluded in�the first half of�2018, the ambassador noted.

"The Iranian side very much hopes that it will be so. We want the Russian companies to�hurry up�and to�sign the relevant contracts," Sanaei said, answering the question whether the contract could be signed in�the first half of�2018.

New Forum to�Unite Russia and the Persian Gulf States

Mehdi Sanaei proposed to�hold the Southern Economic Forum, which would bring together Russia, the Islamic Republic of�Iran, the countries of�the Persian Gulf and Turkey.

"We have an idea to�launch the Southern Economic Forum with�the help of�Roscongress [Foundation] and the Ministry of�Economic Development and hold it in�one of�the southern Russian cities, it may be not only an Iran-Russia economic forum. Look, there is the St. Petersburg Forum [SPIEF], there is the Eastern Economic Forum [EEF], there is a forum in�Arkhangelsk, and the Southern Forum could unite Russia, Iran and the countries of�the Persian Gulf, Turkey. We offered this idea to�Roscongress and we are working on�it," Sanaei told Sputnik in�an interview.

Roscongress Foundation is a major Russian organizer of�conventions, exhibitions, and public events.

The ambassador recalled that Iran has participated in�the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum at�a high level in�the past�two years.
"I think that this year Iran will also take part [in the SPIEF], we received an invitation," Sanaei said.


Iran to�Retaliate if Nuclear Deal Fropped
"Iran, of�course, will try to�cooperate with�Russia, with�China, as�well as�with European countries, will try to�protect the�JCPOA, but�if it is violated, then, of�course, Iran also has its own scenarios� Iran has specific retaliatory measures," the ambassador said.


According to�the diplomat, Tehran has notified Moscow of�such possible scenarios.

Sanaei stressed that Iran was thankful to�Russia �for a very just and rightful on�the JCPOA.�

US President�Donald Trump�has repeatedly stated that the United States will withdraw from�the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan for�Iran's nuclear program if it fails to�achieve its revision. The deal was reached in�2015 by�Iran and the 5+1 group that includes China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and Germany. It stipulates that Iran will adhere to�developing the peaceful nuclear program in�exchange for�lifting anti-Tehran sanctions.