{"id":70539,"date":"2018-08-26T16:29:44","date_gmt":"2018-08-26T16:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/26\/iran-says-no-third-party-will-limit-its-support-to-syria\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:17:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:17:52","slug":"iran-says-no-third-party-will-limit-its-support-to-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/08\/26\/iran-says-no-third-party-will-limit-its-support-to-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran says \u2018no third party\u2019 will limit its support to Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DAMASCUS, Syria \u2014 Iran\u2019s defense minister said Sunday his country will continue its support of the Syrian government<\/a> to ensure improved security in the region, adding that the nature of the two countries cooperation won\u2019t be decided by a \u201cthird party.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel has expressed concern over Iran\u2019s growing influence in Syria, accusing Iran of seeking to establish a foothold near the frontier with the Jewish state. The United States has been pressing for Iran to withdraw its fighters from Syria. In recent meetings between U.S. and Russian officials, President Donald Trump\u2019s national security adviser John Bolton<\/a> said he and Russian officials<\/a> are discussing ways to do that, without providing details, calling it a U.S priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran says its presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Syrian government. “No third party can affect the presence of Iranian advisers in Syria,” Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami told reporters in Damascus.<\/p>\n\n\n\t