A senior Iranian officer on Sunday denied reports that an agreement has been reached with Russia under which Iranian forces, Iranian-backed militias and Hezbollah operatives would soon withdraw from Syria, where they are fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces in the waning civil war.
Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri said that Iranian troops are in Syria "on President Assad's invitation" and that "Iran and Syria enjoy deep relations that cannot be influenced by anyone's propaganda."
Speaking with the Tasnim News Agency, Jazayeri said, "The biggest fear of the Zionist regime is the presence of Muslim fighters in its proximity. Now that this has come true, the U.S. and Israel are making desperate efforts to change the situation. But they should know that this condition is not going to change."
He reiterated that "unlike the American military forces and the regional reactionaries, Iranian advisers are present in Syria at the request of the Syrian government and people."
Jazayeri also said, "There is no bright future for the Zionist regime and the U.S. will also have to leave the region.
"We are waiting to see a day that Syria and the other regional countries will witness an era without the annoying and troublemaking aliens."
