Iran’s Revolutionary Guards deny decreasing troop numbers in Syria

The deputy commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, has denied decreasing the number of troops in Syria, Safa news agency reported yesterday.

Speaking to the Iranian Fars news agency, Hossein reiterated that the Iranian presence in Syria is based on a particular strategy and that this strategy “has not changed.”

“Increasing or decreasing the number of troops in any battlefield is natural,” Hossein said, “however, our strategy in Syria and political role has never and will never change.”

He added: “We are still sticking to our longstanding principles, goals and strategies, and we have been carrying out our role in a way that is appropriate to the needs of the battlefield.”

Hossein pointed out that fluctuating numbers of Iranian consultants in Syria is a “temporary issue,” that is not connected to Iran’s defensive strategy, stressing that there has never been a decrease in this regard.

Media sources reported that Iran had withdrawn its elite forces from Syria in the wake of severe losses among senior consultants and fighters.