US Presence in Mideast Always Source of Insecurity, Tension: Iran

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi says the US presence in the Middle East, including Syria, was a source of insecurity in the region from the start.

A US armored vehicle at the front line between the US-backed Syrian Manbij Military Council and the Turkish-backed fighters, in Manbij, Syria, on April 4, 2018 / Photo by AP

Bahram Qassemi’s remarks came in response to a question raised by reporters regarding Washington’s announcement that it would withdraw its troops from Syria.

“Basically, US forces’ arrival and presence in the region was a wrong, illogical, tension-provoking and crisis-inducing move from the outset, and has always been one of the key contributors to instability and insecurity in the region,” said Qassemi on Saturday.

“A careful study of the history of the regional developments in recent decades until now shows that the presence of foreign elements in this important and sensitive region under different pretexts has only resulted in tension and intensification of divisions,” he said.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced his plan to pull out American troops from Syria.

Later on Thursday, Trump downplayed those who criticized his decision, and said the United States cannot stay there “forever.”

“Does the USA want to be the Policeman of the Middle East, getting NOTHING but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing? Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight….,” Trump tweeted on Thursday.

He said in another tweet that one should not be surprised by the abrupt announcement.

“Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer.”

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