Iranian armed forces’ chief of staff: Assad’s removal to untie hands of terrorists in Syria

The insistence of the Syrian opposition groups on removal of the President Bashar Assad is dictated by Saudi Arabia and Israel, the Iranian armed forces’ chief of staff, Hassan Firouzabadi, said.

A nation’s leader can only be elected by the nation’s vote, Firouzabadi stressed.

"Assad’s removal will lead to the spread of terrorism by the Daesh terrorist group," Trend cited him as saying.