Iran's IRGC Commander: Revolutionary Guard Forces Are The Last To Leave Syria

IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami. (Wikimedia Commons/Fars Media Corporation/Mehdi Bolourian)

JAKARTA - Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) is the last unit of Tehran's army to leave Syria, the commander of the elite forces said Iran had done everything they could to help Damascus.

This was conveyed by Major General Hossein Salami on Thursday, showing the latest political and military developments in Syria culminating in the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's government after the attack by an armed militant group led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

"Some expect us to go and go to war to replace the Syrian army. Does it make sense for us to involve the entire Revolutionary Guard and Basij (volatious forces) in combat in other countries, while the country's army is just watching?," asked Major General Salami, quoted from Tasnim News Agency Dec. 13.

"On the other hand, all roads for us to reach Syria are closed. Iran is really trying day and night to do whatever it can to help," he said.

Stressing Iran to take into account reality on the ground in Syria and act based on facts, the head of the IRGC said, "Of course, I am proud to tell you, the last person to leave the resistance line in Syria was the IRGC troops and the last person to leave the battlefield was an IRGC soldier."

He further explained that strategies should change according to circumstances, adding, "We cannot solve many global and regional problems with fixed and unchanged strategies."

On the occasion, the IRGC Commander also rejected reports of a reduced strategic influence of Tehran in the region, along with the fall of Assad and Israel's aggressive attacks on the front lines.

"We have strong political logic to fight and enjoy convincing legitimacy to defend (our country)," he explained.

"We have a great country to fight (the snarers). We have great leaders to provide guidance and inspiration. We have a strong armed force. If we are weakened, we will not carry out True Promise operations," he stressed.

Salami underlined that Syria is the only country that is not subject to compromise or normalization deals, has always been in confrontation, defense, resistance against the United States and the Israeli regime.

He added that the IRGC had previously been aware of the plans of armed militants in Syria and warned the Damascus government of the plan.

"But, because of the desire to change, fight and resilience in a real sense doesn't exist, unfortunately you see what's going on there," he explained.

Iran maintains an advisory mission in Syria at Damascus's request with the aim of helping the war-torn Arab state get rid of foreign-backed militants.

In 2017, Iran's advisory assistance helped Syria beat the ISIS terrorist group.