The ongoing row between Russia and Turkey over Ankara’s downing of a Russian jet is “unfavorable,” a senior Iranian official said, expressing hope that the two countries would move to defuse tensions.

The ongoing row between Russia and Turkey over Ankara’s downing of a Russian jet is “unfavorable,” a senior Iranian official said, expressing hope that the two countries would move to defuse tensions.

 “The generation of tensions between Turkey and Russia is by no means proper and is not favored by us and we hope that this tensions would be reduced and the two countries opt for good neighborliness,” Ali Akbar Velayati, the foreign affairs' adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, said in an interview with Iran's IRNN news network on Sunday.

Velayati made the remarks after meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

On November 24, Turkey shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M jet inside Syria, claiming that the aircraft violated the Turkish airspace. Russia rejects Turkey’s claim. The aircraft was on a mission targeting terrorists in Syria.

The aircraft’s two pilots ejected as it was going down in flames. One of them was killed by militants in Syria, while the second was picked up by the Syrian army.
Velayati said Russia’s air campaign in Syria against terrorist groups is based on a request from the “legitimate” government of Syria.

Russia began its military campaign against terrorists in Syria on September 30 upon a request from the Damascus government, shortly after the upper house of the Russian parliament gave President Putin the mandate to use military force in Syria.