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Iran concerned US troops won’t leave areas east of Euphrates River

In the past twodecades, Washington has been playing a destructive role in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani believes

SOCHI, February 14. /TASS/. Tehran is concerned that US troops won’t leave Syria’s areas east of the Euphrates River, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a press conference following a Russian-Iranian-Turkish summit in Sochi.

"As for areas east of the Euphrates River, the Americans are present there and we are concerned that they have made a long-term plot concerning this region of Syria," Rouhani said, adding that it was unclear to Tehran whether the US would pull troops out of the area from which it could "continue aggression" against Syria. "We believe that the eastern bank of the Euphrates also needs to be protected and brought under the control of the Syrian government," the Iranian president emphasized.

According to him, in the past 20 years, the United States has been playing a destructive role in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. "If America fully withdraws its troops from Syria, it would be good news for the Syrian people," Rouhani said. In his view, the US government’s activities do no good either to the Americans or to the people of the region.

According to him, "the United States should change their ways and understand" that it is wrong to interfere in regional affairs.

On December 19, 2018, US President Donald Trump ordered a full withdrawal of US troops from Syria, claiming that the Islamic State had been defeated. About 2,000 US troops are currently deployed to Syria. According to US officials, the pullout will take 60 to 100 days. On Sunday, chief of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel said that the withdrawal might begin within weeks but the situation on the ground would be crucial.

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Syria United States Iran Hassan Rouhani

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