Iran’s military attaché to Damascus told Iranian media on Tuesday that the country’s military advisers would remain in Syria under a defense agreement signed this week.

“The continued presence of Iran’s advisers in Syria is one of the areas covered in the defensive-technical agreement between Tehran and Damascus,” said Brigadier-General Abolghasem Alinejad, according to the Fars and Tabnak news agencies.

It was announced on Monday that an agreement on security cooperation had been signed during a visit by Iran’s Defense Minister Amar Hatami.

“Support for Syria’s territorial integrity and the independence of Syrian sovereignty were also emphasized in the agreement,” Alinejad said.

Tehran has provided steady political, financial, and military backing to President Bashar al-Assad as he has fought back a seven-year uprising.

In an interview Monday night with the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen television channel, Hatami said the agreement included the rehabilitation of Syria’s defense industry.

Source: english.alarabiya.net