“The Islamic Republic of Iran is opposed to the presence of foreign forces on Syrian soil without the permission of the [Arab] country’s government and nation,” saidRouhani

Rouhani added that “The continuance of tensions is in no one’s interest, and we hope all regional countries would respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria.”

Turkey launched the so-called Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s northwestern city of Afrin on January 20 in a bid to eliminate the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani underlined the importance of continued cooperation between Iran, Russia, and Turkey to fight terrorism and restore peace to Syria, saying that the joint efforts had to be reinforced until the final victory of the Syrian people, Press TV reported.

The Russian president, for his part, stressed that Moscow, like Tehran, believed that only the Syrian people had to decide the future of their country.

He raised the alarm about attempts by some extra-regional states to equip terrorists and disintegrate Syria and emphasized that any unauthorized foreign military presence in an independent country was direct interference in its affairs.

Reporter’s code: 50101