Iran Says US Withdrawal from Syria Was Long Overdue
The statement, released on Tuesday, described the US military presence in Syria over the past years as illegal and said the pullout of US troops should have taken place a long time ago.
In a major U-turn in the US military policy, the White House announced in a statement on Sunday that the US would be withdrawing its forces from northern Syria, clearing the path for an expected Turkish operation against the Kurdish militants, who had long enjoyed Washington’s support.
“The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the operation,” said the White House, adding that the American troops “will no longer be in the immediate area,” without clarifying whether they will completely leave Syria or will be redeployed within the country.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry statement further said the Islamic Republic is “closely monitoring the worrisome news of a possible entry of Turkish forces into Syria.”
It said Iran is opposed to any possible military operation inside Syria, underlining the need for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Arab country.
