Iranian FM: Syria in Best Condition After Defeating Foreign-Backed Militancy

The senior diplomat made the remarks in a meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus on Thursday.

The minister stressed as his country stayed with Damascus during tough days, “it will remain by Syria and its people under the new circumstances as well”.

Amir Abdollahian stated that Syria is today in its “best condition” after its government, nation and army won “a global terrorist war”.

“We are happy that the region and the world recognized the reality and power of Syria. Nevertheless, the enemies of Syria are seeking to pursue their own political objectives by subjecting its government and nation to sanctions and economic pressure,” he added.

The foreign minister urged all countries to remain committed to Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, stressing Tehran will continue to stand by Damascus in fighting terrorism.

He also extended Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi’s invitation to Assad to visit Tehran.

President Assad, for his part, stated the United States’ strategy in the region to secure its own interests is to create and fuel tensions and crises among regional countries and nations, be it Shiite or Sunni or Arab or Iranian.

He appreciated Iran’s initiative to enhance relations with Arab countries in the region and described it as a super-strategic move.

Since 2011, Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy, as a result of which Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL) and other terror groups emerged in the country.

Iran was the first country to rush to Syria’s assistance following the outbreak of the foreign-backed violence in the Arab country.

Tehran maintains an advisory mission in Syria at the request of Damascus with the aim of helping the war-ravaged country get rid of the foreign-backed militants who have been fighting against the democratically-elected Syrian government since 2011. Several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have so far martyred in battle against terrorists in the war-torn Syria.

US forces were first sent to Syria in 2014, beginning with a contingent of special operators followed by more conventional ground troops the next year, most embedded with Kurdish fighters in the country’s oil-rich Northeast. Though then-President Barack Obama maintained the deployment was focused only on combating the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) terrorists, Washington had long intervened in Syria’s war against terror groups, sending and overseeing countless arms shipments to militants seeking to overthrow the government in Damascus.

Though American involvement in the conflict slowed under the next administration, in 2019 President Donald Trump noted some US troops would remain in Syria “for the oil”, openly suggesting Washington would simply “keep” the energy resources.

Subsequent reporting in 2020 would later reveal that the Trump administration had approved a deal between a US energy firm and Kurdish authorities controlling Northeast Syria to “develop and export the region’s crude oil” – a contract immediately condemned as “illegal” by Damascus. However, while that particular deal would later fall through after President Joe Biden took office, Syrian authorities have continued to accuse Washington of plundering its resources and some 900 US troops remain in the country illegally.

Syria, Iran, Russia and China have repeatedly called on Washington to stop plundering Syria’s national resources and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Arab country, calling on foreign occupation forces and their mercenaries to leave the war-ravaged country.

Tehran has stressed that Washington’s claim of war on terrorism is merely a pretext to continue occupying the Arab country and plundering its wealth, calling on foreign occupation forces and their mercenaries to leave the war-ravaged country.

Israel has been also one of the main supporters of terrorist groups that oppose the democratically-elected government of President Assad since the foreign-backed militancy erupted in the Arab country.

The Zionist regime frequently targets military positions inside Syria, especially those of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah which has played a key role in helping the Syrian Army in its fight against foreign-backed terrorists.