Tehran, May 8 (IANS) Tehran considers the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad before the end of his term in office its redline, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader said on Sunday.
"Since the Syrian nation chose Bashar al-Assad as president two years ago, he will remain in the post until the Syrian people decide to change him," Xinhua news agency quoted Ali Akbar Velayati, who is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's advisor on international affairs, as saying.
The Syrian nation and government are firmly defending their country against their enemies, Velayati said, rejecting the idea of imposing a president on Syria who would serve the interests of Saudi Arabia or any other party.
Foreigners cannot impose their will on the Syrian nation, Velayati said.
He reiterated his country's unwavering support for resistance of the Syrian and Iraqi people against terrorists.
Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against the militant groups, has earlier announced the presence of its military advisers in Syria.
On Saturday, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said 13 of its military advisers were killed in recent Syrian conflicts.
They were killed in the Syrian province of Aleppo, it said.
