Putin calls for troop withdrawal from Syria
Responding to Russian President Putin's call, Iran affirmed that it would not withdraw its troops from Syria and that no one could force Iran to do this.
Sputnik reported on May 21 that Russian President Vladimir Putin said that with the success of the Syrian army in the fight against terrorism and the political process that has just begun, foreign soldiers should leave the country.
|
| Image of Russian troops in Syria. Photo: Reuters |
President Putin made the call for the withdrawal when meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Sochi (Russia) last week. In response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized on May 21: "No one can force Iran to do this. As long as terrorism exists and the Syrian government wants it, Iran will continue to be present. Those who enter this country without the permission of the Syrian authorities must leave."
Previously, Iran sent many military advisors to Syria at the request of the Damascus government.
Also according to Sputnik, the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria announced on the same day that this agency and the Syrian government army had discovered a number of weapons produced by NATO member countries in areas liberated from rebel gunmen./.