GETTY Pompeo has warned Iran to stop supporting Assad

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The nation’s capital is back under government control for the first time since the civil war began in 2011. The regained land have allowed Assad’s military to advance on remaining rebel-held territory in the south, near the country’s border with Israel. However, Syria’s main ally, Iran, are facing mounting international pressure to withdraw their forces from the middle eastern nation. Iranian officials have said that they will stay in Syria for as long as the Syrian government wants them there, but this puts them at odds with Trump’s administration.

Iranian military presence in Syria has alarmed Israel and the US, who are now looking to curb their activities. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has threatened Iran with the “strongest sanctions in history” if they refuse to meet a long list of demands on Syria. In his first major speech in the job, Mr Pompeo said that any new nuclear deal with Iran would depend on them “withdrawing all forces” from Syria, halting support for Hezbollah and ending their current war of words with Israel. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has said that the country will not be forced into doing anything that it does not want to do.

Syria air strikes latest pictures: US, UK and France attack Damascus Sun, April 15, 2018 The United States, France and Britain have launched military strikes in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad for an apparent chemical attack against civilians and to deter him from doing it again. Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 24 The destroyed Scientific Research Centre is seen in Damascus

“Our presence in Syria has been based on a request by the Syrian government and it will continue its support as long as the Syrian government wants.” Western countries are staunchly opposed to the Syrian regime, and support the moderate rebel forces, trying to defeat Assad’s government. Assad has attacked his own people with chemical weapons, most recently in the city of Douma, attracting widespread condemnation from the West. Israeli backed forces including Hezbollah have assisted Assad’s forces recapture huge areas around Damascus and the north of the country.

GETTY