Amir-Abdollahian: Iran Increases Its Advisory Actions in Syria

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, stated on Sunday, October 25, that Iran is increasing its advisory actions in Syria to combat the opponents of Bashar al-Assad's government. According to the Fars News Agency, Amir-Abdollahian, speaking at a memorial ceremony for Hossein Hamadani, a senior commander of the IRGC who was recently killed in Syria, said: "We have no combat forces in Syria, but we will definitely intensify our advisory consultations to fight terrorism and will make more efforts." He added, "We have military advisors in Iraq and Syria who are present at the request of the governments of these two countries." Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, Iran has claimed that its forces are present in Syria as advisors, while recent reports have indicated an increase in the presence of Iranian forces in the Syrian civil war alongside Syrian government forces. Last week, news of the death of Brigadier General Hossein Hamadani, a senior IRGC commander in Syria, was reported, and Iranian media subsequently announced that two other IRGC commanders had been killed in Syria. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command stated on Friday, October 24, that there are "clear signs" of Iranian forces' presence in Syria. He mentioned that the U.S. military has observed instances where Iranian forces are cooperating with the Assad regime's army. The spokesperson clarified: "The regime's forces are advancing from Hama to the north and toward Idlib with Russian air support, and also moving in a separate column from Latakia to Idlib in the northeast." The U.S. and Western countries claim that the recent wave of Russian airstrikes against the positions of Assad's opponents and the new operations of the Syrian government forces weaken moderate opposition forces and those against the Islamic State (ISIS). Reports indicate that Syrian army forces, along with Hezbollah, have begun a new operation supported by Russian airstrikes around Aleppo since Friday, managing to take control of some important and strategic areas around the city. According to Reuters, the operations of the government forces and Hezbollah are ongoing in the southern regions of Aleppo. Currently, two million people live in Aleppo, and opposition rebels control part of the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, reports that government forces have managed to capture three villages in the south of Aleppo.