Tehran says to continue its military presence in Syria despite Washington’s pressure

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iran will continue its military presence in Syria despite the US’ pressure on the country to withdraw its forces, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.

Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami traveled to Damascus on Saturday for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and senior military officials. He inked a military agreement with his Syrian counterpart, but the details of the deal are yet to be revealed.

“The continued presence of Iranian (military) advisers in Syria was part of this military cooperation agreement between Tehran and Damascus,” Iranian IRNA news agency quoted Tehran’s military attache to Damascus, Abolqassem Alinejad, as saying.

He mentioned that the military deal stressed the significance of Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, saying it was immediately effective on the day of its signing.

“Iran will help Syria in clearing minefields in different parts of the country,” Alinejad said. “Iran will help Syria to rebuild the military factories that were damaged in the war.”

Over the past few years, Iran has sent weapons and thousands of soldiers to Syria in support of Assad during the seven-year-long civil war in the country.

Last week, US National Security Adviser John Bolton reiterated the US’ call for Tehran to pull all its forces from war-torn Syria.

The call comes at a time where Washington has re-imposed economic sanctions on Iran partly over Tehran’s involvement in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen as well as over its nuclear program.

Iran has repeatedly stated that their presence in Syria is at the invitation of the country’s government, and it has no plans for immediate withdrawal. Israel has accused Iran of seeking to establish permanent military bases in Syria.

Since 2012, over 1,000 Iranian soldiers and senior members of the elite Revolutionary Guards have been killed in Syria while fighting on Assad’s side.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany