The commander in chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami, has disclosed that the last personnel to leave the resistance front in Syria after the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government last week were IRGC forces.
During a briefing with IRGC commanders, General Salami highlighted Syria’s unique stance among Arab countries in opposing Zionism and refusing any ‘peace plans’ with Israel, noting Syria’s historical victory in reclaiming the Quneitra province from Israeli occupation during the Arab-Israeli conflicts.
General Salami explained that Western forces could not eliminate Iran’s spiritual influence through conventional means, thus they “resorted to creating extremist groups as a countermeasure.”
He detailed that approximately 300,000 extremists were brought into Syria and Iraq with the aim of massacring Shia Muslims and destroying religious sites.
The commander praised Iran’s significant efforts to combat these groups, stating, “The direct military presence and advisory roles played by the IRGC, under the command of the late General Qassem Soleimani, were crucial in curbing the spread of extremism.”
“Combating dangerous Takfiri movements was a great service that the Islamic Republic rendered to all of humanity,” he added.
Citing Iran’s intelligence data, he warned that the threat of extremism persists.
General Salami also reiterated Iran’s continued support for Hezbollah and Palestinian resistance movements in the face of Israel’s aggressions.