Spokesman:

Iran Not to Allow Other States to Exert Influence on Syria

Rasa - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi underlined that his country doesn’t intend to use Syria as a scope of influence and will not allow others to do so either.

News ID: 426235

Date: 02 January 2017 - 19:42

RNA - "Iran's positions are clear. We have supported Syria's territorial integrity and will not allow Syria to turn into a sphere of influence for other countries, including Iran," Qassemi told reporters in his weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday.

He said that the claims saying that Syria has turned into an influence region for Russia, Iran and Turkey are "nonsense, irrelevant and incorrect".

The Syrian Army and the Armed Forces General Command on Thursday declared a comprehensive cessation of hostilities across all Syrian territories starting at 00:00 on 30/12/2016 in the wake of the victories and advances achieved by the Syrian armed forces on more than a front.

The Command added that the ISIL and Al-Nusra Front (recently changed name to Fatah al-Sham) terrorist groups as well as their affiliates are excluded from the agreement, pointing out that the ceasefire comes with the aim of creating suitable circumstances for supporting the political trend to resolving the crisis in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin underlined on Friday that convergence between Moscow, Tehran and Ankara has led to the countrywide ceasefire in Syria, adding that they act as guarantors to end the conflict.

"Successful signing of the ceasefire agreement on Syria is the outcome of the efforts made by Russia, Iran and Turkey," President Putin said in a meeting with his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

The Russian president said that deal for establishing ceasefire in Syria has been signed by representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition.

"However, the truce is fragile and for the same reason, the parties to the ceasefire agreement should pay special attention and have regular contacts," President Putin said.

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