HELSINKI. July 17 (Interfax) - There are no Iranian forces in the southern de-escalation area in Syria, and "the conciliation process" is concluding among the armed groups that remain there, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said.
"In principle, no one is recording Iranian forces" in this area, Lavrentyev said in response to a question from Interfax. "They [Iranian forces] are not in the southern de-escalation area," the Russian diplomat said.
"As for the conciliation process with armed units, it is underway," he said. "Conciliation has been reached among almost all moderate groups there. Only ISIL and Jabhat al-Nusra [terrorist groups banned in Russia] are left," Lavrentyev said.
However, the Russian special presidential envoy for Syria did not deny that Iranian military advisors are present in the country. "Advisors are present, naturally. Just like our military advisors. They are there at the invitation of the Syrian government and, of course, are present in certain units," Lavrentyev said.