Alwaght- President Bashar al-Assad said that the American, French, Turkish and Israeli troops present in Syria are occupying forces.

Assad stressed that Syria's position is to support "any act of resistance, whether against terrorists or against occupying forces regardless of their nationality.”

Referring to the presence of fighters of the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah in Syria, Assad said that "the battle is long and the need for these military forces will continue for a long time."

Speaking during an interview aired on Wednesday evening by Al Alam TV Network, the Syrian president also stressed that there are no Iranian military bases in Syria, but Damascus will not hesitate to allow them if there is a need.

Assad also noted that it is not yet decided how the situation in Syria's militant-held southwest will be resolved.

"We are giving the political process a chance. If that doesn't succeed, we have no other option but to liberate it by force," he said.

Assad pointed out that Syrian-Iranian relation is strategic not subject to a deal and it is linked to the present and future of the region, affirming that neither Syria nor Iran has floated this relationship on the international political bazaar for it to be subject to haggling.

President al-Assad affirmed that since the beginning of the war, particularly when it started to have a clear military nature on the southern front in particular, the Israelis used to shell Syrian forces continuously, and consequently provide direct support to the terrorists. Israeli artillery and aircraft are the terrorists’ artillery and aircraft, President al-Assad pointed out. He added that despite Israeli support to the terrorists, "we have been doing our job, and the Syrian Army is fighting its way towards the southern front, and has liberated a number of areas within the limits of its capabilities. So, with or without its approval, the decision is a Syrian one, and this is a national duty we shall carry out."