Iran committed to assist Syria with air defense capabilities: Iran MoD

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 Apr 2023 23:24
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In the past, Syria was a defenseless country against the Zionist regime's airstrikes but the situation changed, the Iranian Defense Minister’s Deputy for International Affairs said.

Iran remains committed to assist Syria with air defense This photo released by the official website of the Iranian Defense Ministry on Sunday, June 9, 2019, shows the Khordad 15, a new surface-to-air missile battery at an undisclosed location in Iran. (AP)

Iranian Defense Minister’s Deputy for International Affairs General Hamze Qalandari told reporters on Tuesday that in the past, Syria was "truly a defenseless" country in the face of Israeli aerial aggressions.

But that situation has changed as Syria has in recent years managed to repel a large number of airstrikes, he noted.

"We find ourselves committed to helping friendly countries, like Syria, to empower their air defenses and counter the aerial targets," the General stated.

Highlighting the international community's growing interest in Iran's military and defense products after the removal of a UN arms embargo in 2020, General Qalandari said that Iran's "humanitarian concerns" is a notable factor that has caused the growth of arms exports.

"We have assisted many of our neighbors and friendly states not only in terms of equipment and arms but also in the field of technology of manufacturing defense weapons," he stated, adding that the presence of Iran's Defense Ministry in international exhibitions and the enthusiasm of foreign customers in purchasing Iranian products is a clear show of success.

Iran and Syria signed a joint comprehensive agreement in July 2020 to boost their cooperation in the military and defense fields.

The Islamic Republic began providing Syria with advisory military assistance after several countries, including the US, "Israel," and their proxy allies, waged aggressions on the country with the aim of deposing Syria President Bashar el-Assad.

Through joint collaborative efforts, along with assistance from Russia, the two countries managed to repel large swathes of ISIS factions.

However, US occupation forces still remain stationed in the northern territories, where they conduct looting operations of Syrian oil daily.

Syrian Al Watan newspaper reported that Israeli missiles targeted the southeast of the capital and Damascus International Airport on Tuesday, adding that the air defenses shot down most of them.

Two Syrian civilians were killed in the Israeli airstrike Tuesday, state media reported, marking the fourth such attack on areas of the war-torn country in less than a week.

"At 00:15 (2115 GMT Monday) the Israeli enemy carried out an air strike... and the attack resulted in the death of two civilians," state news agency SANA said, citing a military source.

The airstrike came from the direction of "the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting some points in the vicinity of Damascus and the southern region," it said, adding that air defenses intercepted most of the missiles.

With Syria's recent rapprochement with the Gulf and the Arab League, the prospects for restoring domestic and regional peace no longer seem so out of reach.