Iraqi: Iran is in Syria to fight terrorism, not to battle against Israel

Abbas Araghchi, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, in an interview published on Thursday, March 3, described the current situation in Syria as 'complex' and stated that Iran is present in the country 'to fight terrorism.' According to Mr. Araghchi in an interview with the BBC World Service, the aim of Iran's presence in Syria is 'to fight terrorism, not to create a new front against Israel.' Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, the capital of Syria, and one of the last areas in the western part of the country still under the control of rebels, has been the scene of intense airstrikes in recent days. The extent and consequences of these attacks have reached a point where Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, says this area has turned into a 'hell on earth' and the situation for hundreds of thousands of civilians there is critical. The United States also reacted to this situation on Thursday, condemning the attacks by Bashar al-Assad's forces and their allies on Eastern Ghouta, stating: 'Assad and his government must end further atrocities, and Moscow and Tehran, who support him, should not assist him any longer.' The White House spokesperson stated that the United States strongly condemns the recent attacks by the Syrian central government and Russia on Eastern Ghouta. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister did not respond to the U.S. reaction and only mentioned that 'everyone is concerned about Ghouta.' The Islamic Republic, alongside Russia, has stood by Bashar al-Assad's government since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, supporting him to the extent that many experts say without Tehran's support for Damascus, no Assad family government would remain in Syria today. Iran has repeatedly described its military presence in Syria as 'advisory.' However, according to reports, Iranian forces are fighting in Syria in support of Bashar al-Assad's government, and Tehran has sent a number of Afghan and Pakistani Shiites to Syria in the form of the 'Fatimiyoun Brigade' and 'Zainabiyoun Brigade,' in addition to the army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Mohammad Ali Shahidi, the head of the Martyrs Foundation, announced in March 2017 that the number of those killed, known as 'Defenders of the Shrine,' was 2,100. Nikki Haley, the U.S. representative to the United Nations, said in April: 'The role of Iran and Russia in Assad's crimes cannot be overlooked.' Former U.S. President Barack Obama also held Iran and Russia responsible for the massacre of civilians in Aleppo. According to Abbas Araghchi, Deputy to Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was interviewed by the BBC in London, the situation in Syria is 'very complex' and 'fear of war is pervasive throughout the region.' He continued, 'Just imagine if we were not there, ISIS would be in Damascus now, and perhaps in Beirut and elsewhere.' Abbas Araghchi also denied the claim regarding a drone that Israel says belonged to Iran and was shot down in Israeli airspace, stating that the drone belonged to the Syrian army. The Israeli army announced on February 10 that its air force had shot down an Iranian drone in the skies over the Golan Heights, and in response to this action, its fighter jets bombed positions belonging to Iranian forces in Syrian territory. Iranian officials have repeatedly denied that this drone belonged to Iran: this is something that Abbas Araghchi also reiterated on Thursday, accusing Israel of doing the same. He said: 'Israel should not be angry about something it does every day.' He also referred to the role of Hezbollah, which enjoys comprehensive support from the Islamic Republic in confronting Israel, stating that Iran is not in Syria to fight Israel. This comes as the Israeli Prime Minister has expressed concern since last summer about the dangers of Iran's increasing military presence in Syria, claiming that Iran is building a base in Syria to consolidate its military presence. Iran has denied having a military base in Syrian territory.