Syrian opposition leader, Michel Kilo has warned that replacing US troops in Syria with Arab forces could lead to a long-term Arab-Iranian war on Syrian soil.

Speaking in an interview with Quds Press, Kilo stressed that solving the Syrian crisis can only be achieved through international understanding.

“Syria is now divided, the Americans control 28 percent, the Russians control 40 percent, the Turks 10 percent, and all of them have large forces in Syria. Therefore reaching a solution can only be achieved through an international understanding that can ensure the implementation of any agreement reached” he said.

He added that “talking about any role for the Syrian regime President, Bashar al-Assad, in Syria future has no meaning” stressing that no one can imagine keeping him as president after he had killed about one million Syrians and displaced more than half of his people.

Read: Syria endgame forces Saudi Arabia’s hand

“There is information about a Russian-American understanding to bypass Bashar al-Assad by 2021, and perhaps before that” he said.

On the possible political scenario in Syria now, Kilo said “If the US-Russian understanding continues, it could lead to a long ceasefire as prelude to resume negotiations”.

Saudi Foreign Minister, Adel al-Jubeir said in a statement Tuesday that “discussions are underway with Washington on the type of troops that should be present in eastern Syria and where these forces will come from”.

Al-Jubeir was responding to a question on an article published Monday in the Wall Street Journal claiming the administration of US President Donald Trump was working to form an Arab force which includes Saudi and Emirati forces to send them to Syria.