Ruptly: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he would 'not hesitate to allow' Iranian military bases in the country if it is deemed ‘necessary,’ during an interview with the Iranian al-Alam news channel in Damascus on Thursday.

Assad pointed out although ‘Iran fought and Iran defended the Syrian people, shedding their own blood’, ‘there are no regular Iranian units in Syria.’ The current form of Iranian support is 'good and effective.'

"The Syrian-Iranian relation is strategic," Assad stated. "This relationship, with its content and its results on the ground, is linked to the present and future of the region."

Assad described the conflict in Syria as a standoff between two ‘axes’. One represented by the US, Israel and some Arab groups which seek ‘dominance’ and support ‘terrorism’, while the other wants ‘independence.’

Assad also said that the aim was ‘liberating all Syrian territories’ but added that ‘if the political process does not succeed, there is no choice but for liberation by force.’