Iran’s Advisory Presence in Syria None of Foreigners’ Concern: Spokesman

US Secretary of State John Kerry had claimed on Thursday that Iran has withdrawn a "significant number" of its troops from the Syrian battlefield.

In reaction, Jaberi Ansari said in his weekly press conference today that Iran has sent its military advisers to Syria based on the Arab country’s official request.

This is none of the business of any foreign player, he stressed, adding that the continuation of this presence and the number of Iranian forces in Syria hinges on how the crisis goes on, the request of legitimate Syrian government, and the decisions made by Iranian authorities.

He also dismissed as rumor recent claims about a restriction in Iran’s advisory assistance to Iraq, saying, “Iran’s presence in Iraq is also an advisory one based on the request of Iraqi legitimate government.”

Such rumors do not have any influence on the natural and growing trend of Iran-Iraq ties, Jaberi Ansari noted.

The quality and degree of such presence is a function of Iraqi government’s need, field developments, and the agreements between the two neighboring states, he added.

Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had stressed that the Iranian military advisers will leave Syria only if the Damascus government requests it.

“Iran does not have military forces in Syria as alleged by some. We have military advisers there at the invitation of the country’s government. We will pull those military advisers out when the local government deems it necessary,” Zarif said at a joint press conference with Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Elmar Brok in Brussels on February 16.

The top Iranian diplomat also stressed that foreigners have no rights to “dictate contents of the political talks” for peace in Syria, saying the Syrian people alone should decide their fate.

Neither Iran will decide for Syria nor can Saudi Arabia do so, he added at the time.