World Bulletin / News Desk

Iranian media have described the Iranian casualties in clashes with Syrian opposition forces in the southern town of Khan Tuman as a “catastrophe”. 

Last week, Syrian opposition fighters said they have seized control of Khan Tuman in southwest Aleppo after clashes with regime forces. 

According to activists, at least 30 Iranian soldiers, 8 Hezbollah militants, 20 Shia militiamen and 20 regime forces were killed in the clashes. 

Iran, however, said that only 15 members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), including two senior commanders, were killed in the violence. 

Iranian newspaper “Qanoon” cited reports that 80 Iranian soldiers were killed by Syrian opposition groups in Khan Tuman. 

Iranian lawmaker Esmail Kowsari accused Syrian opposition forces of violating a ceasefire in Aleppo, blaming the U.S. for the Iranian casualties. 

"As [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] has repeatedly maintained, America cannot be trusted," he said. 

"On the one hand, America speaks of peace and a cease-fire. But in practice, it acts differently,” he added. 

Iran is a staunch support of Bashar al-Assad, whose regime has been fighting opposition forces since 2011. 

For the past five years, Iranian soldiers -- along with members of Lebanon’s Shia Hezbollah group -- have been fighting alongside regime forces in Syria. 

According to Iranian media reports, more than 400 Iranian soldiers have been killed in the fighting in Syria since 2011.