Iran: We Will Leave Syria Whenever Syria Wants Us to

Hosseini Jaberi Ansari, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, stated that the military forces of the Islamic Republic entered Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government and will leave upon Damascus's request. According to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass, Mr. Jaberi Ansari, who traveled to Sochi, Russia, to participate in the Syrian national dialogue, said on Tuesday, January 30, to reporters: "Iranian forces will leave this country with the consent of Syrian officials whenever they achieve their designated goals." The military presence of the Islamic Republic in Syria has sparked protests both inside and outside Iran. Last month's nationwide protests in Iran also included slogans against the Islamic Republic's policies in Syria. Domestic critics argue that Iran's military support for Bashar al-Assad's government, which has massacred protesters, is illegitimate and has complicated the country's civil war. On the other hand, Iran's resources have been directed towards the Syrian war while the country is grappling with severe economic problems. In late November, 43 U.S. Congress members expressed concerns in a letter to Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, regarding Iran's military presence in Syria, deeming it a significant threat to Israel, Jordan, and the U.S. However, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister defended Iran's military presence in Syria, emphasizing that these forces were sent "at the request of the Syrian government to resolve the problems faced by the Syrian people." Hosseini Jaberi Ansari, who is responsible for the Syrian dossier and peace negotiations for the country, traveled to Sochi on Monday and, according to Iranian media reports, has held individual meetings with Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, and the Chinese representative in these negotiations. The Fars news agency reported that Iranian and UN representatives "emphasized the necessity of continuing consultations and cooperation to end the Syrian crisis while reviewing the activities of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi and the upcoming actions and plans of the UN representative for Syria."