TEHRAN: The army chiefs of Russia and Iran discussed the US strikes in Syria by phone on Saturday, and vowed to continue the fight against “terrorists” and their supporters, Iranian media reported.

The two chiefs of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri and General Valery Gerasimov, “condemned the American operation against a Syrian air base which is an aggression against an independent country”, state news agency IRNA said.

The American strikes “aim at slowing the victories of the Syrian army and its allies, and reinforcing terrorist groups”, they said in a statement.

The two army leaders vowed to continue their military cooperation in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad “until the total defeat of the terrorists and those that support them”, according to the Mehr news agency.

Iran and Russia are Assad’s closest allies and label all opponents of his regime as “terrorists”.

Both governments have defended Assad against Western allegations that his regime carried out a suspected chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun on Tuesday, killing dozens of civilians.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2017