The UN's ceasefire in Syria's rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta was cast into doubt less than 24 hours after the Security Council voted to uphold it, as residents woke to regime airstrikes and Iran vowed to carry on fighting in areas it deems held by terrorists.

Iranian General Mohammad Baqeri said both Tehran and Damascus would respect the 30-day ceasefire, but he also said the truce did not cover parts of the Damascus suburbs “held by terrorists”.

“Clean-up [operations] will continue there," he said.

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his allies have long used the term “terrorist” as a catch-all for those on the receiving end of airstrikes, barrel bombs and shelling.