Arab press: New and final French-Turkish front clash with Iran's allies in Iraq

On Saturday morning, Arab press touched upon the French-Turkish tension, in addition to the power struggle in Iraq, and the Lebanese situation.

'French-Turkish confrontation in Africa'

The beginning of the French-Turkish tension, and in this context Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper said: “The French President, Emmanuel Macron, opened a new front between Paris and Ankara, to be added to the controversial files in which the two capitals are facing, starting with Syria and Iraq, reaching Libya and the eastern Mediterranean waters, the most recent of which is Karabakh."

Macron has accused Turkey of the role it plays in the African continent, which Paris regards as hostile to it.

In an interview with "John Afrique", a French-language magazine specialized in African affairs, published by the Presidency website yesterday, Macron pointed his arrows at Turkey, Russia and some African leaders as well.

He said, "There are active strategies sometimes led by African officials, but especially from the actions of external powers such as Russia and Turkey, which play on the sensitivities of the post-colonial era" in order to inflame hostility against France.

Macron added: "We do not have to be gullible, as many of those who hear their voices in the media or publish videos are hired workers and work either for Russia or Turkey."

"A power struggle between Iran and Turkey in Iraq"

On the Iraqi issue, Al-Arab newspaper said: “An exchange between a Turkish diplomat and the leader of an Iraqi Shiite militia signaled the entry into the power struggle in Iraq in a new phase in which Turkey would be a major player alongside the two traditional players, Iran and the United States of America.

"The next Turkish military threat will be more severe, bigger and more dangerous than the US military threat," said Qais Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, which ranks among the most powerful Iranian arms in Iraq.

He added in a television interview broadcast by Iraqi channels, "During the next stage, the Ottoman Erdogan accent demanding the right of Turkey in northern Iraq will emerge."

Khazali's statements angered Ankara, which responded by its ambassador to Iraq by saying, “I turn to the mentality that claims that Turkey has ambitions in Iraqi lands: Do not make an effort that is useless through the baseless allegations that you created in the world of your illusions, in order to draw attention to Turkey of those who pose a real threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq."

Turkey has increased during the past months the pace of its military intervention in Iraqi lands against the PKK.

Observers believe that the prosecution of the party is nothing but a cover for Turkey to establish a foothold in Iraq, within the scope of the intervention policy pursued outside the borders of the Justice and Development Party government led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has shown clear expansionist ambitions that he embodied in both Libya and Syria, and is trying to complete them In Iraq, based on the Ottoman past there, which legitimizes Turkish ambitions in Iraqi regions such as Mosul and Kirkuk, which are rich in oil.

Observers expect that Turkey will forever become a major player in the struggle for influence in Iraq alongside Iran and the United States, based on the fact that Ankara, in addition to its military intervention in Iraq, is engaged in a parallel political movement aimed at establishing arms there similar to the Iranian political arms formed by Shiite parties. And its prominent leaderships alongside the armed militias.

In recent years, Turkey has not ceased to win over Sunni and Turkmen political leaders, in addition to establishing good relations with Kurdish leaders ruling the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

"A stalemate prevails in Lebanon"

In the Lebanese context, Al-Akhbar newspaper said: “Except for the meetings of Presidents Michel Aoun and Saad Hariri, which are abundant and of little feasibility, there is no communication between anyone and another about the impasse in forming the government.

It is not usual for Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to be far from any role in the crisis of forming a government, and to support the Fatwa by overcoming obstacles, and it is also unusual for what he says in front of the few visitors he meets, as if he has succumbed to emptiness: “Nobody talks to anyone, as if there is no formation of a government. If some are waiting for Biden to arrive at the White House, it is not certain that we will hold out until that time?”

T/S

ANHA