Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian permanent representative to the United Nations, says Iran supports the demands of the Syrian government for a complete withdrawal of “all illegal foreign military forces from Syria.”

During a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday addressing the situation in the war-torn country, Iravani argued that favorable conditions for terrorists throughout Syria are being created by the presence of illegal foreign military forces. 

“The unhindered movement of terrorist groups, including Daesh (ISIS), into Syrian territory, where foreign forces are illegally present, poses a serious threat to both regional and global peace and security,” Iravani said. 

“We support the legitimate demands of the Syrian government for the complete withdrawal of all illegal foreign military forces from Syrian territory,” he continued. 

Military forces and equipment were deployed by the U.S. to Syria in 2014. Washington used the pretext of fighting ISIS for the move. The U.S. has sustained its military presence in Syria, even though Damascus and its allies defeated ISIS in 2019. The Syrian government says the U.S. deployment is a means of plundering the country’s natural resources. 

According to the Iranian envoy, illegal foreign forces occupying specific areas in Syria, along with Israeli bombing raids and aggression from terrorist groups like ISIS, inflict never-ending suffering on the Syrian people. 

“The Security Council must take a strong stance, condemning such egregious violations and compelling the Israeli regime to cease its aggressions and put an end to the occupation of the Syrian Golan,” Iravani said. 

The Israeli government has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967. Israel has used the region to launch military operations against Syria ever since. Despite warnings from the Syrian government, the Israeli attacks have recently intensified. 

The Israelis also use the occupied territory as a safe haven for anti-Syria Takfiri terrorists who need medical treatment and are fleeing counter-terrorism operations carried out by the Syrian military. 

Israel launched airstrikes against Damascus and the surrounding region on Monday, causing material damage and wounding a Syrian soldier. 

“We strongly condemn the repeated aggressions and violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by the Israeli regime,” Iravani said. 

“These reprehensible acts, like the recent terrorist attacks on Damascus and its surrounding areas on August 21, deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, constitute a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law and the U.N. charter. They also pose a grave threat to regional peace and stability.”