Zarif:

Iran Fighting Terrorists Who Threaten Int'l Security

Rasa - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed media reports claiming that Tehran has been requested to pull out its military advisors from Syria, stressing that his country is fighting against terrorist groups which endanger the international security.

News ID: 437843

Date: 23 May 2018 - 21:27

RNA - "The Islamic Republic of Iran is playing an advisory role in Iraq and Syria and any other place at the invitation of these countries and with the aim of campaign against terrorism," Zarif told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

He described Iran as a country which is fighting against terrorism and has sustained damage and tolls in this way, noting, "We will continue our assistance as long as these countries' governments are interested."

"We believe that this assistance is in the interest of the whole world because the terrorist groups that we are fighting threaten security of the entire world," Zarif said.

In relevant remarks on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi had also underlined that his country would keep its military advisors in Syria until full annihilation of terrorist groups.

According to Fars News Agancy, Qassemi made the remarks in a press conference in Tehran when asked by reporters about the recent media claims that Russia has called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syria.

"No one can force Iran to do anything and Iran will remain in Syria as long as there are terrorist groups in there and as long as the Syrian government wants," he stressed.

"Those who have entered Syria without the Syrian government's permission should leave the country," he added, alluding to the US forces.

Sources in Syria's presidential office had also on Sunday dismissed media claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin had demanded Iran to withdraw its military advisors from Syria.

Quoting the Russian officials, the sources told the Arabic-language al-Mayadeen newspaper that Putin's remarks did not include the Russian forces and Iranian advisors who are in Syria at the demand of the legal government and they will leave the country whenever Damascus demands.

Putin and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad held a meeting in Syria in Sochi earlier this week during which Putin said that the foreign forces will leave Syria after the Syrian army's victory against the terrorist groups and the start of political process in the country.

In relevant remarks in December, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani reiterated his country's firm decision to continue its military advisory role in Syria until all terrorist groups are uprooted.

"We will continue presence and providing advisory services in Syria until annihilation of all terrorist groups in the country at the demand of the legal Syrian government," Shamkhani said, addressing a forum in the Western province of Kurdistan.

He underlined that allegations against Iran by Israel or other countries would never tilt the country's calculations and decisions in pursuit of its national interests and establishment of regional security.

847/940