Iran won’t coordinate with US in Syria and region, says Khamenei

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed that Iran will never cooperate with the United States when it comes to the Syrian, and other conflicts in the Middle East region.  

“We don’t want such a coordination as their main objective is to stop Iran’s presence in the region,” Khamenei said on Saturday during a speech given to university students, according to his official website. 

The US and Iran are both opposed to the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria, but in neither of the two countries has it coordinated its operations. 

Washington doesn’t seek to coordinate with Iran nor its Shiite proxies in the ISIS war and the Iranian regime is opposed to America and its presence in the region, perceiving it to be a potential threat against the Islamic Republic. 

“Americans are still engaged in hostility against the nation of Iran, be it the Congress or the US administration,” Khamenei said. 

In spite of the nuclear deal reached between world powers and Iran last year Tehran complains it hasn’t benefited substantially. 

“Those who believe in looking to the West for the progress of the country have lost their minds because wisdom tells us to learn from experience,” Khamenei added. 

Thousands of Iranian army veteran and voluntary fighters are believed to have traveled to Syria in the last few years to defend the regime of Bashar al-Assad against rebel groups.