Iran condemns US strikes in Syria

“The US must immediately leave Syria.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani (Photo: Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani (Photo: Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani on Wednesday ‘strongly’ condemned US strikes on Iran-backed groups in Syria and called on the US to leave Syria.

The spokesperson called the US strikes an ‘aggression’ and a “violation of the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”

He also denied a link between those ‘popular groups fighting against occupation’ and Iran.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman added that the continued presence of US forces in parts of Syrian soil “is against international law and constitutes a breach of Syria’s sovereignty and occupation.”

He therefore called for the US to leave Syria.

Moreover, in a separate statement, Kanaani said Iran received US response to Iran’s proposals for removing sanctions from the EU’s coordinator of the Vienna talks.

The current Biden administration is focused on reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal.

Read More: US continues negotiations with Iran over nuclear deal, despite mounting criticism

The US-led coalition on Wednesday published a map showing that Iran-backed groups attacked the US forces in al-Tanf on August 15 from the Babil province in Iraq.

Moreover, the coalition said in a tweet that the US military “conducted strikes targeted infrastructure facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.” 

Read More: US conduct strikes on Iran-backed groups in Deir ez-Zor

Earlier today, USCENTCOM Communication Director, Colonel Joe Buccino underlined the strikes “were necessary to protect and defend U.S. personnel.”

He also underlined that US forces remain in Syria to “enduring defeat of ISIS.”

The US has a presence at al-Tanf in southeast Syria, near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, and straddling the Baghdad-Damascus highway, where they work with the Maghawir al-Thawra force.

The majority of US troops are stationed in northeast Syria, where they work with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).