Illegal foreign forces must leave Syria: Iran military chief
Iran's top military commander says foreign forces, who are illegally present in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib and east of the Euphrates, should leave these areas at the earliest.
"[Those foreign] forces who are present in Syria without any authorization from the country's government must leave the Syrian soil as soon as possible," Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said upon his arrival in Damascus on Sunday.
Baqeri added that he plans to take part in a tripartite meeting with senior Syrian and Iraqi commanders to coordinate efforts made by the three countries in their fight against terrorism and also to discuss the withdrawal of foreign forces from Syria.
"As Iran has come to Syria at the official invitation of Syria's government, the presence of other countries should also take place through the Syrian government's coordination and authorization," Baqeri said.
Saying that Iran, Syria, Russia and Iraq as well as the resistance front have managed to make great achievements during the recent years in the fight against terrorism thanks to their remarkable coordination, the top Iranian commander added that efforts would continue to fully liberate Syria.
Baqeri noted that he would hold separate talks with military officials of Syria and Iraq on ways to boost cooperation among the three countries' armed forces.
Back in December, the top Iranian military commander said despite its mainly peaceful defense doctrine, the Islamic Republic maintains powerful military presence in the region, warning certain regional countries against inviting the US to the Persian Gulf to hatch plots against Iran.
“Regional enemies of Iran must know that in parallel to its peaceful doctrine, the Islamic Republic of Iran maintains powerful and firm military presence, and if need be, it would not only defend its territorial integrity, but also hold the inviting countries responsible for any consequences,”Baqeri said.
Over the past years, Iran and Russia have been respectively lending military advisory support and aerial backup to the Syrian military in its battle against Takfiri terrorists.
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