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Iran used own aircraft for ‘responsible’ pullout from Syria: FM spox
Baghaei said that the advisory presence of Iran in Syria “was initially aimed at supporting the Syrian army, combating terrorism, and preventing insecurity from spreading to neighboring areas and the broader region. The decision to withdraw advisory forces was also a responsible move, considering the prevailing conditions in Syria and the region,” Press TV reported.
Providing insights into the battlefield dynamics leading to President Bashar al-Assad’s fall, as well as the coordination between Iran and Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shared his account of the military developments in Syria, saying, “When opposition groups approached Aleppo, approximately 30,000 troops were defending the city. Around 350 militants entered the city. Syrian government forces, alongside Iranian-aligned units, retreated without resistance, detonating their positions as they withdrew. Except for isolated armed clashes, this was the general pattern across Syrian territory.”
He noted, “Previously, our Iranian allies would request assistance to deploy their forces into Syria. Now, they are asking for help to withdraw them. We evacuated 4,000 Iranian fighters from the Hmeimim base to Tehran. Some Iranian-aligned units, avoiding direct engagement, relocated to Lebanon, while others moved to Iraq.”
Since the onset of a new phase of developments in Syria, multiple Iranian officials have discussed the events leading up to the collapse of Assad’s government in the weeks and days preceding his departure. However, Putin’s remarks during his annual press conference introduced new details that had not been previously disclosed.
Reflecting on the long-standing cooperation between Iran and Russia in their joint fight against terrorism in Syria, Baghaei noted, “It is not unusual for parties involved in Syria’s developments to present their own narratives about the causes and actors behind these events.” “However, it seems that some of the comments made regarding Iran’s advisory role in Syria during the final days leading to Damascus’s fall may not have been based on precise information,” he added.