Iran Rejects Reports on Military Presence in Syria

(FNA)- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari strongly rejected western media reports alleging that Iran has deployed troops in Syria, saying that Tehran is only giving advice and spiritual assistance to Bashar al-Assad's government.

"We just give them our experience, advice and intellectual assistance," Jafari told reporters in a press conference here in Tehran on Sunday.

"Compared with certain Arab countries' military presence and support for opposition groups in Syria, we have actually done nothing," he said.

He said the very few IRGC Quds force members who had some time in the past been in Lebanon or Syria did not serve as military or combat troops, alluding that their presence was aimed at a transfer of knowledge and experience.

"That doesn't mean our military presence in there," Jafari said.

The Syrian terrorists and their supporters have on many occasions claimed that Iran, specially its IRGC's Quds force, are helping Bashar al-Assad's government through a strong military presence, and even alleged that Iranian forces help the Syrian squads in the fight against the rebels.

To that end, the terrorists have also attempted to take forced confession from abducted Iranian nationals in Syria.