Iran’s Top Security Official, Russian Envoy Discuss Syrian Crisis

Speaking at the meeting in Tehran on Saturday afternoon, Shamkhani stressed the need for all countries involved in the Syria peace talks to respect the Arab country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“No agreement should undermine this unchangeable principle or prepare the grounds for the breakdown of Syria,” the Iranian official added.

He further warned that the Zionist regime of Israel is seeking to undermine the Syrian government and change the security equations “with the aim of dealing a blow to the Resistance Front”.

Lavrentiev, for his part, briefed Shamkhani on the recent talks among Russia, the US and Jordan over de-escalation zones in southwestern Syria.

He further highlighted the decisive roles of Tehran, Moscow, and Damascus in the fight against terrorism and said the strategic cooperation between the three countries will continue in earnest until the complete eradication of terrorism.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.

According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.

In the meantime, Iran and Russia have remained close allies of Syria and support its legitimate government in the face of foreign-backed militancy.