Iran Press/Iran news: Major General 'Mohammad Bagheri' has criticized the US claim on withdrawal of its troops from Syria, stressing that the US troops must end occupying the war-torn country.
General Bagheri who has travelled to Russia, met with the Russian defence minister General 'Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shoygu' and Turkish defence minister 'Hulusi Akar' on the sidelines of the Sochi trilateral summit, between Presidents of Iran, Russia, and Turkey, according to a Mehr news agency report.
Major General Bagheri arrived in Russia on Wednesday at the head of a military delegation at the invitation of the Russian defence minister, Sergey Shoygu.
In the meetings, the key issues of defense and military cooperation, the fight against terrorism in Syria, the security in eastern Euphrates region after the US troops withdrawal, the decision on wiping out terrorists from Idlib region and the enlargement of de-escalation zones were discussed.
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The Joint Chief of Staff of Iran's armed forces said the announcement of the US troops withdrawal was nothing more than a claim, adding: "The three countries of Iran, Russia and Turkey, as the guarantors [of peace process in Syria] call for the immediate withdrawal of US forces that are present and have occupied some parts of Syria without coordinating with the legitimate government in Damascus."
It was stressed in the summit that the armed forces of Iran and Russia are present in Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government.
Major General Bagheri called for the expansion of de-escalation zones, facilitating the return of refugees to their cities and villages, establishing security in liberated areas and demining contaminated areas from landmines as the priorities of the trilateral cooperation of the armed forces of Russia, Iran and Turkey.
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He further called for international condemnation of the Israeli regime, and preventing Israeli regime’s air strikes on Syria, describing the attacks as a violation of Syrian sovereignty.
Iran armed forces chief will fly home after attending the Syria trilateral summit in Sochi.
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