Iran-Syria Relations

Iranian deputy FM said the crisis in Syria will only be resolved through respecting the country’s sovereignty, independence, national unity and territorial integrity as well as the Syrian people’s will.

He said the opposition group in Syria should have no link with terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, Daesh, al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs says both Iran and Russia “are seriously helping the Syrian army in fighting against terrorism”.

Velayati said that Iran is the main front of resistance against hegemonic powers in the region, adding Iraq, Syria and Lebanon are Iran’s regional allies in this campaign and Russia has recently joined this front.

Apart from rescuing the pilot, the team supervised by General Soleimani also eliminated all terrorists active in the region, before returning safely to base.

Foreign Minister Zarif has said that if Saudi Arabia fails to change its regional policies, it will put its people and the entire region at risk.

We help the two countries at the request of their armies and we are just transferring our experience, but haven’t sent any forces to these states, Naghdi reiterated.

An immediate ceasefire to end bloodshed along with coordinated international efforts to take on terrorism and extremism is the first step in settling the crisis, wrote FM Zarif in an opinion piece.

Undoubtedly, when objectives of terrorists are not fulfilled in Syria, it will have a direct effect on Iran’s security, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said.

Only Assad himself can decide on his participation or non-participation in the elections and it is only the people of Syria who can say whether they will vote for him or not, the Iranian diplomat said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Bogdanov have discussed the latest developments in Syria.

Other countries can at most play the role of a facilitator in the process of resolving the crisis in Syria, Zarif told the visiting Syrian deputy foreign minister.

Iran has offered the necessary help for Yemen so far and will continue to do whatever it can in the advisory dimension, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said.

Many observers view the exclusion of Iran from earlier talks on Syria – under pressure from Riyadh and with a US green-light – as illogical, Atwan said.

The future of Syria can only be determined by the people of Syria, Zarif said at international talks on Syria in Vienna.

A senior Iranian official has strongly rejected reports that the Islamic Republic has agreed to a plan for the removal from power of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in six months.

Iran has called for an end to meddling in Syria’s domestic affairs, saying the issue of foreign interference will be raised in the upcoming peace summit in Vienna, Press TV reports.

Iran has said that Foreign Minister Zarif will go to Vienna for the talks on the future of Syria.

US financial and military support for the so-called moderate terrorists has caused numerous problems and complicated conditions in the region, Afkham said.

Zarif and Lavrov have discussed the latest developments in Syria and exchanged views on the role of external players in the political settlement of the Arab country.

Iran has no combatant forces in Syria, but its military advisors assist the Syrian central government in its campaign against terrorism, Amir Abdollahian said.

At present, we see the beginning of new developments in Syria, thanks to efforts by Brigadier General Hamedani, Major General Jafari said.

The IRGC commander has said that big victories are in the card for Syria in coming days.

Brigadier General Hossein Hamadani, the veteran commander of the IRGC, was martyred during an attack by ISIL terrorists on the outskirts of Aleppo.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Iran and Russia have always supported the people and government of Syria in the face of terrorism.