No Need for Setting Up Military Base in Syria - Iranian Army Spokesman

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iranian Armed Forces spokesman, Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, has stated that Iran has no need for a military base in Syria.

"Iran has no need for a base in Syria so that anyone would want to attack it," Shekarchi told the IRNA news agency.

The spokesman recalled that Tehran was providing advice to Syria and Iraq at the request of the authorities of those countries. He noted that Iran was not directly involved in the hostilities in Syria and Iraq while talking about the presence of Iranian troops in Syria were spread by the United States and Israel.

The Israeli authorities have repeatedly expressed concern over the presence of Iranian forces in Syria, noting that it posed a threat to Israel and the country would do everything possible to prevent Iran from creating a military base in Syria.

Responding to the allegations in July, Adviser for International Affairs for the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayatia said that Israel is irrelevant in the matter of Iran's presence in Syria.

READ MORE: US Special Envoy for Syria Says Idlib De-Escalation Zone Still Holding

Meanwhile, the Syrian Army continues mop-up operations fighting numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations in some areas of the country.

Currently, the priorities in the country are a political settlement, restoration and refugee repatriation.