Iran denies reports about Iran-Israel indirect talks over Syria

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has dismissed reports by some media outlets about the Islamic Republic holding “indirect negotiations” with the Israeli regime over the Syrian conflict, saying such claims are aimed at distracting public opinion from Israeli atrocities.

“This claim is basically wrong and news fabrication,” Qassemi said on Monday.

Elaph, a Saudi-owned website, claimed in an unconfirmed report earlier on Monday that Iran and Israel engaged over the weekend in indirect negotiations in Jordan regarding fighting in southwestern Syria.

Elaph sources also claimed that “the talks with the Israelis were related to fighting in Syria and the nearing campaign in southern Syria, particularly in Dara’a and Quneitra.”

The Iranian spokesperson said at a time when some Arab countries are currently betraying the Palestinian cause and undermining decades of the Palestinians’ resistance, such efforts to fabricate news are carried out to distract the public opinion from Israeli crimes.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran certainly does not officially recognize the fake, terrorist and occupying Israeli regime and the purpose behind such a lie is crystal clear,” Qassemi said.

It is not surprising that some Arab-Hebrew websites are making “spiteful” bids and fabricating news in order to distract the world public opinion from the Israeli regime’s recent crimes, he added.

Iran has been providing military advisory support to Syria as well as Iraq in their campaign against terrorism at the request of the two countries’ governments.

A senior Iranian official said on Tuesday that legitimate governments of Iraq and Syria have called for Iran’s military advisory presence in their countries in order to help them fight terrorism.

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said the world confirms that Iran has played a leading role in preventing the expansion of Daesh in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and even Europe.