Iran Guards Present in Lebanon, Syria as 'Counselors'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Sunday members of his elite special operations unit, the Quds Force, are present in Lebanon and Syria but only to provide "counsel."
"A number of Quds Force members are present in Lebanon and Syria... we provide (these countries) with counsel and advice, and transfer experience to them," Guards commander Brigadier General Mohammed Ali Jaafari told a rare press conference.
"But it does not mean that we have a military presence there," he said.
This is the first time the Guards publicly acknowledge the presence of Quds members in Syria.
Several Western and Arab countries accuse Iran of giving military aid to the regime of its main ally in the region, President Bashar Assad, helping it in Syria's bloody conflict.
Iran is "proud of defending Syria, a member of the (anti-Israeli) resistance," Jafari said, "by providing them with experience while other countries are not shy of supporting terrorist groups," he added using Iran's official term for the Syrian opposition.
Iran accuses Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar of arming the opposition in Syria, in collusion with the United States and Israel, to overthrow Assad.
The Quds Force is a special unit responsible for all extra territorial operations, official or clandestine, of the Guards.
Western analysts say the unit, with thousands of members, is particularly active in the Middle East.
16 September 2012, 12:19
12
They don't add anything. The FSA has the will, determination and stamina to fight them all including their boss Assad. Sooner por later the people will prevail no matter what. It's only that my heart goes to those who are suffering until that day comes. God bless Syria and its brave people.
16 September 2012, 13:04
02
This is excellent news:) Finally the terrorists will be rotted out. I love Iran:)
16 September 2012, 13:34
12
What else is new... They have been in for close to 30 years and turned lebanon into an Iranian outpost... No need to rediscover the wheel...
16 September 2012, 13:38
1011
"Counsel & Advice" what a bunch of thugs. At least you could have waited until the Pope left...
I can't speak for Syria but I know that your graves will be in Lebanon and hopefully soon...
16 September 2012, 13:38
97
"Counsel & Advice" what a bunch of thugs. At least you could have waited until the Pope left...
I can't speak for Syria but I know that your graves will be in Lebanon and hopefully soon...
16 September 2012, 13:39
98
"Counsel & Advice" what a bunch of thugs. At least you could have waited until the Pope left...
I can't speak for Syria but I know that your graves will be in Lebanon and hopefully soon...
16 September 2012, 13:57
1013
who invited them?
they are illegally on our soil doing war activities.
16 September 2012, 14:07
69
Naharnet you lie!!! This is the original article, and nowhere does it mention Lebanon! http://gulfnews.com/news/region/iran/iran-s-revolutionary-guards-commander-says-its-troops-are-in-syria-1.1076928
I can't believe Nahar would stoop this low.
16 September 2012, 14:36
69
IbnalJabal: This article is completely made up the moment they added "Lebanon" to it. If there really is Iranian counsellors in LEbanon, then Naharnet should use its journalists to verify and wite their own articles. But of course, you being a pro-14er, I can't blame you for not knowing the difference between telling the truth and manipulating a lie.
16 September 2012, 17:57
01
it's not made up a couple of news organizations just omitted Lebanon not the other way around.
16 September 2012, 18:17
88
The blind man and weak awaits for any reason to defend his illusion, The Iranian were and are in Lebanon since 10 yrs ago, who is training Hizbollah (Pro Hashishee farm boys)in the Bekaa all these years? They get arms, money and training from Iran whether you like it or not so that they remain loyal and owned by the Iranian regime and whenever they receive the signal from Iran then everything goes even if the Zionists destroy Lebanon from the air(i.e. 2006 war).
16 September 2012, 19:53
81
What are we arguing about?? They all are the same. Let's love the diversity of our country instead of hating it. All I know is you are stupid to trust ur za3im or 7izb.
16 September 2012, 20:48
86
Who said Lebanon wants Persian killers here. Oh wait the Hezz decide because they have guns pointed at our heads. Hizbcocaine is a killer thug group.
16 September 2012, 21:40
00
Funny because the Reuters article uses the same quote and has an article yet there is NO mention of Lebanon. Either Naharnet was present at the interview or Reuters is misquoting its own interviews...
17 September 2012, 00:19
00
Surprise surprise! As though anyone doubted the presence of those 'counselors' for year. They're the ones who counselled in Hariri's murder, they're the one who counselled in the Lebanese senseless july 2006 war, etc...In fact Hizbollah is the counseling office for the basij regime!
17 September 2012, 02:29
10
How pretty they are they look like chorus girls, are they supposed to seduce the Zionists into surrender?
17 September 2012, 03:42
03
This is old news, tell us something we didn't already know, hopefully Lebanon will be their grave site.
17 September 2012, 09:11
02
One thing all Arab people should know regardless if there religion, is that the leaders in Iran and there brainwashed followers number one enemy is Arabs and Muslim world, they hate us more than Israel and especially the Sunni Muslims which conquered pre Islam pagan Persia, they will never forget that, that's why they are bloodthirsty
