LOC21:32
18:32 GMT
TEHRAN, Aug 4 (KUNA) -- Iran may reduce number of advisors in Syria or completely withdraw from the country if it feels the troubled Arab country was close to achieving relative stability, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Saturday.
"When we feel Syria is close to achieving relative stability and anti-terrorism opeations are fulfilled, then Iran can start reducing its consultative presence in Syria or even a complete departure," the official news agency of Iran quoted Qasemi as saying.
"We shall stay in Syria as long as the Syrian government wants to," he said, and noted that Iran's deployment in Syria was not requested by any other nation than Syria, "so we can't leave at behest of another nation."
Iran knowns its interest very well, just like Russia does in maintaining its own interest around the world, explained Qasemi.
He continued to say Iran and Russia share many commonalities like strengthening anti-terrorim cooperation and deployment in Syria. Russia is deploying combat forces while Iran sent advisors. "Tehran and Moscow succeeded in formulating a well-preserved cooperation between them," he added. (end)
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