MOSCOW - Russia has not promised to ensure a withdrawal of pro-Iranian forces from Syria, RIA news agency quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Tuesday.

The presence of Iran in Syria is legitimate, Lavrov was quoted as saying by another agency, Interfax.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt; writing by Polina Nikolskaya; editing by Christian Lowe) ((Polina.Nikolskaya@thomsonreuters.com;))