Raisi Hails Iran, Syria Nations’ Resistance against Pressures, Sanctions

Speaking in a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Wednesday, Raisi highlighted the dismal failure of the West’s so-called maximum pressure campaign against Iran and Syria, saying the current status of the two countries is proof of the righteousness of their resistance against pressure.

“Indeed, the Syrian people should be praised for standing up to the threats and actions of Takfiri groups and separatists who, backed by the US, Western countries and some states in the region, were trying to disintegrate the country and stoke terror,” Raisi said.

The Syrian people, led by the country’s president, stood up and resisted, for which the Syrian people and government should be praised, he added.

The Iranian president said the countries that failed to achieve their evil goals in the military field are trying to pursue their objectives in other fields, including by economic pressure and sanctions, noting, “Of course, those countries will definitely fail.”

Referring to the official acknowledgment by the Americans of the scandalous failure of the policy of “maximum pressure” against the Islamic Republic, Raisi said, “The situation of Iran and Syria today is proof of the legitimacy and righteousness of the resistance and resilience of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria in the face of pressure.”

Stressing that the Islamic Republic has always voiced its support for resistance in its foreign policy, Raisi said, “We have stood by and will stand by the Syrian government and people, both during the time when they faced Takfiri groups and now that they cut off the evil hands of Takfiri groups and started rebuilding Syria.”

Elsewhere in his remarks at the joint press conference, the Iranian president underlined the Islamic Republic’s core policy of developing relations with regional countries and the expulsion of foreign forces, Press TV reported.

“We do not consider the presence of foreigners in the region to be conducive to security,” Raisi said. “We believe that the presence of Americans in Syria not only fails to create security, but also undermines the security of Syria and the region. The faster the Americans leave Syria, the more secure Syria will be.”

He also emphasized that the full restoration of sovereignty in Syria is the sole way to ensure security in the Arab country.

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Raisi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday. The visit is the first by an Iranian president since the foreign-backed militancy gripped the Arab country in 2011.

Iran was the first country to rush to Syria's aid following the 2011 outbreak of foreign-backed violence in the Arab country. In 2017, military advisory assistance provided by the Islamic Republic helped the Arab nation score a monumental victory over the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group. 

The two presidents held a meeting in the Syrian capital earlier on Wednesday, highlighting the importance of Iran-Syria’s long-term cooperation plan for advancing the interests of the two nations and other countries in the region.

The two presidents inked 15 documents in various areas, including trade, oil and energy, engineering, housing, rail and aerial transportation, free trade zones, communications and technology, earthquake reliefs, and facilitation of pilgrimage to the holy sites for the people of the two Muslim nations.