TEHRAN - Ali Akbar Velayati, a top advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said on Thursday that Iran is proud of its influence in the Middle East as its approach is “friendly”.

“We are proud of our influence in the region, because this influence is friendly and the Islamic Republic of Iran practices altruism to protect its neighbors,” he said in a televised interview.

If Iran did not help Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut would now be controlled by Daesh, he said.

“Iran helped the Iraqi and Syrian legal governments in fighting Daesh upon their requests and the aid was beneficial to them. If Iran had not entered (the scene) they would have not been able to resist against Daesh even for seven weeks,” the veteran politician remarked.

Armed forces in Iraq and Syria, backed by popular mobilization units and Iranian military advisors, have managed to flush Daesh militants out of their last strongholds in both countries, declaring full victory over the notorious group.

Elsewhere, Velayati said that the Western countries seek to disintegrate the regional countries through creating division.

NA/PA