DUBAI, December 17. /TASS/. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, elite units of the Iranian Armed Forces) was in Syria legally in order to fight international terrorism, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said.

"In Syria, we did not aim to conquer, dominate, or resurrect the empires of the past. We deemed it crucial to ensure the safety of the Syrian people and shield them from violence, extremism, and terrorism. The presence [of IRGC troops] was advisory. They were not there to support or defend any specific faction or political party. Until the very end, we helped in maintaining the security and territorial integrity of Syria," Baghaei told a weekly briefing.

In late November, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian army positions. On December 8, they entered Damascus. President Bashar al-Assad resigned and left the country. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who led the so-called Salvation Government in Idlib province, announced his appointment as interim prime minister. The transitional period will last until March 1, 2025.

The commander of Iran's military advisory corps in Syria, IRGC Major-General Kioumars Pourhashemi, was killed in an attack by the militias that took control of Syria in late November.