In a recent television interview, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi revealed that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has left the country, never sought help from the Iranian side. Report informs via Intergax that Araghchi said Iran’s presence in Syria was aimed at countering the threat posed by the Islamic State (ISIS).

The Iranian minister expressed surprise at the rapid pace of developments in Syria any action. “The speed of events and the inability of the Syrian army to do anything is certainly surprising,” Araghchi stated.