Smoke rises from the heart market in Damascus, Syria on May 9, 2018. (SANA/Handout via REUTERS)

TEHRAN, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran is in Syria at the demand of the Syrian government to fight terrorism, Iran's Forein Ministry spokesman said Monday.

"If the Syrian government needs us, we will continue to be there," Bahram Qasemi told reporters.

On the reports that Russia has asked Iran to leave Syria, Qasemi said that "no one can make Iran do things. Iran has its own independent policies."

He stressed that those who have entered the Syria without the permission of its government should leave.