“We went to help the Syrian government at its demand given the terrorists’ invasion and occupation of Syria since the first days and this advisory aid exists and will continue as long as the Syrian government wants,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said in a press conference in Tehran.
He also described media reports saying that the US and Russia have agreed on the withdrawal of the resistance forces from Syria as unsubstantiated claims and psychological warfare, saying, “We have our close contacts and consultations with the Russian government.”
Qassemi also underlined Iran’s effective role in paving the ground for the expulsion of terrorists from Syria.
His remarks came after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad underlined that his country would agree with setting up Iranian military bases in Syria if Tehran ever extended such a demand.
“There’s nothing to prevent establishment of such bases as long as Iran is an ally as is Russia,” President Assad said in an interview with the Arabic-language al-Alam news channel earlier this month.
Asked if he would agree to the establishment of such bases, he said even his country might raise such a demand from Tehran. “We could ask for the existence of such forces to support us. Iran has never asked and does not have an interest except in fighting terrorism. But the evolution of the war made it necessary to develop the nature of this presence.”
“This happened as far as the Russians are concerned. In the beginning, Russian support, like Iranian support, was different from what it is today. The support for terrorism has developed internationally and globally when the Syrian Army confronted those terrorists, and with that Russian and Iranian military presence developed. At a certain stage, we found – with the Russians of course – that the existence of air bases was necessary to provide air support to the Syrian Army. And now, if we find, in cooperation, coordination, or dialogue with the Iranians, that there is a need for Iranian military bases, we will not hesitate. But now, Iranian support in its present form is good and effective,” he added.