Iran urges intensification of Syria’s anti-terror fight

Iran’s defense minister has called on Syria to intensify its military operations in order to root out terrorism following the Arab country's recent advances against Daesh terrorists.

According to Press TV, in a phone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Fahd Jassem al-Freij, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan congratulated Damascus on its liberation of the ancient city of Palmyra.

The Syrian army must “continue and intensify the military operation in order to stem the cancerous tumor of terrorism in the region and liberate remaining areas under the occupation of terrorist groups,” Dehqan said.

On Sunday, Syrian armed forces successfully established full control over Palmyra, which had fallen to Daesh last May, inflicting what the army called a “mortal blow” to the Takfiri terrorist group.

After the victory, the General Command of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces vowed in a statement to press ahead with counter-terror military operations and drive Daesh terrorists out of their major strongholds.

The Syrian army is currently closing in on the provinces of Dayr al-Zawr and Raqqah, which are respectively located in Syria’s east and north.

In his telephone conversation with the Syrian Defense Minister, Dehqan reasserted Iran's unflinching support for the Arab country.

Freij said the support and assistance provided by Syria’s friends, especially Iran, had "an important role" in achieving the recent victory, the Fars news agency reported on Tuesday.

The liberation of Palmyra, he said, was crucial to achieving the "ultimate victory against terrorists and their supporters."

ME