Top Iranian, Syrian Diplomats Hold Talks in Tehran

Syria’s Foreign Minister Muallem who has visited Iran with a diplomatic delegation met with Zarif on Tuesday to discuss Tehran-Damascus ties and the latest political developments in Syria.

In the meeting, Zarif hailed the Syrian government and nation’s victories against terrorism, saying the Zionist regime of Israel, which has confessed to have supported terrorists inside Syria, is against calm and stability in Syria and the region.

Emphasizing the necessity for convergence and cooperation among the regional countries, Foreign Minister Zarif said the Iranian companies are prepared for economic interaction with Syria in the process of reconstruction of the war-hit country.

For his part, Muallem commended the Iranian government and nation for supporting Syria against terrorism, saying the victories that Damascus has gained against the terrorist groups belong also to Iran and the other allies of Syria.

He also briefed the top Iranian diplomat on the latest upheavals in Syria and the ongoing consultations for the political settlement of crisis in his country.

Zarif and Muallem further discussed the initiatives to resolve the conflicts in Syria, including an upcoming summit of Iran, Russia and Turkey, due to be held in Sochi as part of the Astana peace process.

Conflicts erupted in Syria in 2011, when a small group of opposition forces took up arms against Damascus.

Soon, however, a mix of international terrorists and paid mercenaries mingled with and then largely sidestepped the armed Syrian opposition groups, effectively turning the Arab country into a battlefield for foreign governments opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But the Syrian military, with advisory military help from Iran and Russia, retook control of much of the country.

Meanwhile, the Russia-Turkey-Iran summit on the Syrian settlement will be held on February 14 in Sochi.

The previous summit of the leaders of the three states was held in September 2018 in Tehran.