TEHRAN — Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri says the regional people and countries do not welcome American presence in the region.

General Bagheri also said Iran will respond to Washington’s nonsensical talks, Mehr reported on Friday.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Syrian Defense Minister General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub in Damascus.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the situation in Syria, stressing the need for the withdrawal of foreign troops who have entered the country illegally.

The Iranian general stressed that Iran will strengthen Syria's air defense systems in accordance with strengthening military cooperation between the two countries.

He criticized Turkey for being “slightly delayed” in fulfilling its obligations under the agreements reached in Astana for the withdrawal of terrorist groups from Syria.

Turkey should know that its security problems can be resolved through negotiations and understanding with the Syrian side, not through a military presence on the Syrian soil, he added.

General Bagheri visited Damascus on Wednesday and signed a “comprehensive” agreement with the Syrian defense minister to strengthen military and defense cooperation.

The accord provides for the expansion of military and security cooperation and the continuation of coordination between the armed forces of the two countries.  

The two sides also underlined the need for the withdrawal of foreign forces which have been "illegally" deployed in Syria in violation of international law and.

Foreign forces are the main obstacle to the complete cleansing of armed terrorist groups in some parts of the Arab country, the two sides lamented.

Iran and Syria have signed different military and defense cooperation over the past years.

The Islamic Republic commenced providing Syria with advisory military assistance after numerous countries, at the head of them the U.S. and its Western and regional allies, began funding and arming militants and terrorists with the aim of deposing the Syrian president’s government.

Although the Syrian government initially lost considerable expanses of territory to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and other terror outfits, the country rallied to retake the lost grounds and drive out terrorists from much of the country.

MH/PA