Iran to Maintain Military Presence in Syria: Official
TEHRAN/LONDON (Dispatches) -- Iran will maintain its military presence in Syria despite U.S. pressure for its withdrawal, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday, revealing more details about a military cooperation deal that Tehran and Damascus signed this week.
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami visited Damascus on Saturday for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and senior military officials. He signed a deal for military cooperation in a meeting with his Syrian counterpart.
"The continued presence of Iranian (military) advisers in Syria was part of this military cooperation agreement between Tehran and Damascus," IRNA quoted Tehran's military attache to Damascus, Abolqassem Alinejad, as saying.
"Iran will help Syria in clearing minefields in different parts of the country... Iran will help Syria to rebuild the military factories that were damaged in the war," Alinejad said.
U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton reiterated last week Washington's call for Iran to remove all its forces from Syria.
Lebanon’s news outlet Al-Akhbar reported Tuesday that the United States had offered to leave Syria completely in exchange for a full withdrawal of Iranian troops but Damascus had turned it down.
Part of the American offer required a guarantee from Damascus the U.S. would receive "a share” of Syrian oil, as well as detailed information regarding resistance organizations operating in the war-torn country.
Syria’s national security chief Ali Mamlouk reportedly rejected the U.S. offer, saying that Damascus viewed Americans in Syria as an "occupying power who entered our territory forcibly.”
He went on to say that President Assad had repeatedly made clear Syria’s "strong relationship” with Iran, Hezbollah and other resistance groups in the region.
According to the report, senior U.S. and Syrian intelligence and defense officials held a secret meeting in Damascus in June to discuss the offer.
Mamlouk also rejected the U.S. request for access to Syrian oil, but said that as a goodwill gesture, it could indirectly access its energy sector through European or Russian companies.
Iran has repeatedly said its military presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Syrian government and that it has no immediate plans to withdraw.
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami visited Damascus on Saturday for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and senior military officials. He signed a deal for military cooperation in a meeting with his Syrian counterpart.
"The continued presence of Iranian (military) advisers in Syria was part of this military cooperation agreement between Tehran and Damascus," IRNA quoted Tehran's military attache to Damascus, Abolqassem Alinejad, as saying.
"Iran will help Syria in clearing minefields in different parts of the country... Iran will help Syria to rebuild the military factories that were damaged in the war," Alinejad said.
U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton reiterated last week Washington's call for Iran to remove all its forces from Syria.
Lebanon’s news outlet Al-Akhbar reported Tuesday that the United States had offered to leave Syria completely in exchange for a full withdrawal of Iranian troops but Damascus had turned it down.
Part of the American offer required a guarantee from Damascus the U.S. would receive "a share” of Syrian oil, as well as detailed information regarding resistance organizations operating in the war-torn country.
Syria’s national security chief Ali Mamlouk reportedly rejected the U.S. offer, saying that Damascus viewed Americans in Syria as an "occupying power who entered our territory forcibly.”
He went on to say that President Assad had repeatedly made clear Syria’s "strong relationship” with Iran, Hezbollah and other resistance groups in the region.
According to the report, senior U.S. and Syrian intelligence and defense officials held a secret meeting in Damascus in June to discuss the offer.
Mamlouk also rejected the U.S. request for access to Syrian oil, but said that as a goodwill gesture, it could indirectly access its energy sector through European or Russian companies.
Iran has repeatedly said its military presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Syrian government and that it has no immediate plans to withdraw.