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Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu (here in December 2016) announced on March 18, a joint operation between Turkey and Iran against Kurdish rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). ADEM ALTAN / AFP

In Turkey, the Interior Minister announced on March 18 the beginning of a military offensive against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the PKK, a joint operation with the Iranian army. Turkey and Iran formalize their collaboration against the PKK while the two countries are in total disagreement on other issues, especially on the Syrian file.

From our correspondent in Istanbul , Alexandre Billette

This is the first time that such an operation has been launched or, at least, that it is officially mentioned: Ankara and Tehran will conduct joint offensives against the rebels of the PKK, the PKK which for years has been using the border region between both countries, a mountainous area, to get its fighters from one country to another.

But today's announcement could have more important regional consequences, as the PKK stronghold is in the mountains of northern Iraq . The joint operations of Turkey and Iran could therefore take place in the Iraqi skies: a first for the two opposing countries on the Syrian question, but which collaborate more and more closely to fight against the Turkish PKK which disposes of a sister party in western Iran .

This announcement is timely for the Turkish power, which multiplies the operations of seduction to the nationalist electorate before the municipal elections of March 31.