Tehran will continue advisory assistance to Iraq, Syria – Iran Deputy FM
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iran announced that its military advisors will continue their support for Tehran’s allies in both Iraq and Syria, a day after Saudi Arabia and Turkey criticized their presence in those countries.
“Iran will proudly and firmly carry on with its advisory assistance to the serious fight against terrorism in the region,” said Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Monday, according to Iran’s Press TV.
“Had it not been for Iran’s assistance and the effective measures of the army and popular forces in Iraq and Syria and in the fight against terrorism, there would have been no safe spot in the sensitive West Asia region,” he went on to claim.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir criticized Iran’s presence in Iraq on Sunday alleging that: “Iraq’s problem is religious conflict caused by the Iranian interference.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Iranian, Russian and US involvement in Syria on Sunday at a rally marking the 563rd anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople.
Iran has military advisors in both countries, most of whom are members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) paramilitary. Tehran invariably claims that these forces are advisors, not combat troops.
Iran supports the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad along with the Shiite Hezbollah militia in that country. In Iraq it supports the central government’s fight against Islamic State (ISIS) and the Hashd al-Shaabi coalition of Shiite militias.
Both Tehran and Riyadh have accused each other publically in recent months of creating tensions in the Middle East by supporting various armed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
“Iran will proudly and firmly carry on with its advisory assistance to the serious fight against terrorism in the region,” said Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Monday, according to Iran’s Press TV.
“Had it not been for Iran’s assistance and the effective measures of the army and popular forces in Iraq and Syria and in the fight against terrorism, there would have been no safe spot in the sensitive West Asia region,” he went on to claim.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir criticized Iran’s presence in Iraq on Sunday alleging that: “Iraq’s problem is religious conflict caused by the Iranian interference.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Iranian, Russian and US involvement in Syria on Sunday at a rally marking the 563rd anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople.
Iran has military advisors in both countries, most of whom are members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) paramilitary. Tehran invariably claims that these forces are advisors, not combat troops.
Iran supports the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad along with the Shiite Hezbollah militia in that country. In Iraq it supports the central government’s fight against Islamic State (ISIS) and the Hashd al-Shaabi coalition of Shiite militias.
Both Tehran and Riyadh have accused each other publically in recent months of creating tensions in the Middle East by supporting various armed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.