One of the complicated aspects of the Syrian civil war is that while two allies may cooperate inside the country, their allegiances outside may contrast differently. While Iran was largely responsible for dragging Russia into the seven-year-long civil war to fight on behalf of the Syrian government, Russia has maintained a positive relationship with Israel, which has carried out attacks against Iranians and the Syrian government while also supporting Syrian opposition forces. This is, of course, due to the fact that Iran and Russia’s interests in Syria are not completely aligned, noticed mostly by reports that have been denied to varying degrees that Russia and Israel have sought a deal regarding the withdrawal of Iranian forces from southern Syria.

The latest Iranian official to respond to the rumors of a Russia-Israel deal and also to defend Iran’s presence in Syria is Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, an adviser to the chief of the Iranian armed forces. “The biggest fear of the Zionist regime is to have a border with the fighters of Islam,” said Jazayeri June 3 in reference to forces it views as part of the resistance to American and Israeli hegemony in the region. “And right now, this has happened, and the US and Israel will knock on any door to change this situation, but they must know that this will not change.”

Jazayeri continued, “Unlike the American military and regional reactionaries [foreign opposition fighters of the opposition], Iranian advisers are in Syria at the request of the government.” He added, “Iran and Syria have deep relations that cannot be influenced by the propaganda actions of anyone.” Jazayeri stressed that “any agreement will only take place between Iran and Syria.”

Iranian officials, however, have denied that there are Iranian advisers in southern Syria. Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Shargh newspaper June 2, “We have previously said … that Iranian advisers have no presence in southern Syria and have had no role in the implemented operations there.”