Damascus willing to attend peace talks, Moscow says

Iran denies having forces in Syria

Iran said on Friday it has no forces in Syria supporting President Bashar al-Assad's army, one day after foreign backers of his rebel foes demanded Teheran withdraw its fighters from Syrian territory.

"The true enemies of Syria make up these accusations to provoke the people of this country," Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said, quoted by Iranian television.

At a meeting in Jordan on Thursday, the Friends of Syria grouping of Western and Arab governments called for the immediate withdrawal from Syria of Iranian fighters and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

They were reported to be fighting alongside the Syrian army and militias loyal to Assad in the town of Qusair, near the Lebanese border.

"In response to a question about accusations that Iranian and Hezbollah forces were present in Syria, Abbas Araqchi said Iranian forces have never been, and are not present, in Syria," the television report said.

Reuters