Iran:

US Regional Presence Irrational from Outset

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi reacted to a recent decision by the US administration to withdraw its forces from Syria, saying that the deployment of American troops to the Middle East region was an irrational and provocative move from the same beginning.

News ID: 74492

Date: 22 December 2018 - 13:50

“In principle, the deployment and presence of US forces in the region from the outset was a wrong, irrational and provocative move that created tensions. It (deployment) is always a major cause of instability and insecurity in the region,” Qassemi told reporters on Saturday.

“A detailed study of the history of the region's developments from the past decades to the present day has also shown that the presence of an external element under various excuses in this sensitive and important region has had no result other than tension and insecurity, and the escalation of disputes,” the spokesman noted.

In a video posted on Twitter on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he has begun what will be a total withdrawal of US troops from Syria, declaring they have succeeded in their mission to defeat Daesh and were no longer needed in the country.

The US and its allies have been bombarding what they call Daesh positions inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.

The strikes have on many occasions resulted in civilian casualties and failed to fulfill their declared aim of countering terrorism.

Syria has on several occasions written to the UN, complaining that the US was flagrantly violating its sovereignty. The US supports militants fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad and has repeatedly attacked Syrian army positions.

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