July 13, 2018 - 16:50 AMT
Iran says it's a 'consultant presence' in Syria, Iraq upon their request

Advisor to Iran's supreme leader for international affairs and special envoy of President Hassan Rouhani to Russia Ali Akbar Velayati announced on Friday, July 13 that Iran has consultant presence in Syria and Iraq upon requests of legal and independent governments of those countries, IRNA reports.

He made the remarks in a gathering in Valdai Club in Moscow.

He added that if those two countries declare they do not need Iran's presence, the Islamic Republic will depart from there.

He said had it not been for the assistance of Iran and Russia, the head of An-Nusra Front in Syria and Abu bakr al-Baghdadi in Iraq would now be ruling there.