Assad's ouster Iran's redline: official

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 was quoted as saying by Press TV 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," Ali Akbar Velayati, who is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's adviser on international affairs, said.

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 stressed.

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 that 13 of its military advisers had been killed in recent Syrian conflicts.

In a statement, the IRGC said that 21 other Iranians were also wounded in the clashes.

They were killed and injured in the town of Khan Tuman, south of the Syrian province of Aleppo, it said. Endit