Syrian Official: Iran's Stay or Exit from Syria is Up to Assad's Government

In response to the U.S. demand for Iran's withdrawal from Syrian territory, a senior Syrian official stated on Wednesday, May 23, that this matter is solely related to Bashar al-Assad's government. According to Reuters, citing Al-Mayadeen television, which is close to Hezbollah, the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister stated that Iran's exit from Syria is 'not a matter for discussion.' Faisal Mekdad, Deputy Foreign Minister in Assad's government, added, 'The exit or stay of Iranian forces or Hezbollah in Syria is not a matter for discussion, as this is solely the concern of the Syrian government.' Reuters linked this Syrian official's stance to recent comments by the U.S. Secretary of State, who has intensified pressure on the Islamic Republic and announced the imposition of 'the toughest sanctions in history' against Tehran. Mike Pompeo, on Monday, May 21, outlined 12 conditions for reaching a new nuclear agreement with Iran, two of which pertain to Iran's military presence in its neighboring countries. The U.S. Secretary of State has called on Iran to respect 'Iraq's sovereignty' and emphasized that 'Iran must withdraw all military forces under its command from Syria.' Since the onset of unrest and the subsequent civil war in Syria, which has now lasted over seven years, the Islamic Republic, alongside Russia, has played a key role in supporting Bashar al-Assad's government. The assistance and support from these two countries have been so significant that many analysts believe that without it, Assad's regime would have certainly been overthrown by now. However, the recent remarks by the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister can also be seen as a response to Russia, which recently announced the withdrawal of all foreign military forces from Syrian territory. After the Russian envoy for Syrian affairs stated that Vladimir Putin's insistence on the need for foreign troops to leave Syria includes Iranian forces, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson responded that the Islamic Republic's policies are independent and that no one can force Iran to act. The Islamic Republic claims that its presence in Syria is at the invitation of the legitimate government of that country, a point that was also addressed by an Iranian military official on Wednesday. Mohammad Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic, responded to criticisms of Tehran's presence in its neighboring countries, describing this presence as 'at the invitation' of those governments. In his interview, Faisal Mekdad also stated that Damascus intends to reclaim every inch of its territory 'from the rebels' and added, 'This is our decision and the decision of our friends.' According to this Syrian official, the next target for the military forces supporting Bashar al-Assad 'after destroying the rebels around the capital [Damascus]' will be the north or south of the country.