Iran Not in Direct Contact with Syria’s Ruling Body: Spokesman

Asked about Iran’s contact with the opposition groups that overthrew the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Esmaeil Baqaei said at a press conference on Monday that there is no direct contact between Iran and the ruling current in Syria at present.

He noted that Iran had stepped in to fight against terrorism in Syria in the past, adding that there used to be contacts with a number of Syrian opposition groups in order to settle the crisis.

The spokesman also reiterated Iran’s policy of support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing that the Syrian people alone must decide their own fate.

It is necessary to prevent Syria from turning into a haven for the rise of terrorism, he underlined.

Highlighting the age-old political and civilizational relations between Iran and Syria and pointing to Iran’s assistance for Syria in the war on terrorism, Baqaei said, “In the future, we will make decisions considering the behavior of the ruling currents in Syria.”

In remarks on December 22, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said a group of rioters, with the help and planning of foreign governments, managed to exploit Syria’s internal weaknesses to plunge the country into chaos.

“Their plans in Syria led to unrest and chaos, and now the United States, the Zionist regime, and their allies, feeling victorious, have resorted to extravagant claims and nonsensical talk, like the followers of devil,” the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei asserted that the future of the region will be better tomorrow than it is today. “We predict that a strong, honorable group will also emerge in Syria, as today’s youth in Syria have nothing left to lose. Their schools, universities, homes, and streets are fraught with insecurity. Therefore, they must stand firmly against those who orchestrate and perpetuate this insecurity and strive to overcome them,” he stated.