Syria
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (left) and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad (right) in Damascus on May 3, 2023. Photo: Iranian Presidency
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday highlighted the stability of the two countries’ relations in a meeting in the Syrian capital, saying Tehran and Damascus have always stood by each other even during the darkest times.
Assad received Raisi and his accompanying high-level delegation at the Damascus International Airport on Wednesday. During the two-day visit, the presidents are expected to engage in extensive political and economic discussions relating to the two countries.
“The Syrian government and nation went through great difficulties, and today we can say that you have overcome these problems and managed to achieve victory despite the threats and sanctions that were imposed against you,” Raisi told Assad during the meeting.
The Iranian president said his visit to Damascus is a testament to the “ancient” relations between the two countries, as Iran has stood by Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011 and will continue to support the country going forward.
For his part, Assad expressed his appreciation for Raisi’s visit and Iran’s continued support for the Syrian government throughout its 12-year-long civil war, just as Syria backed Iran in its war against Iraq in the 1980’s.
Iran is one of the main backers of Assad, providing him with financial and military support over the course of the 12-year-old conflict, aiding in propping his government against opposition forces. A number of Iran-backed militia groups are also present in Syria, being frequently targeted by Israeli air attacks.
“These relationships are beyond definition, rich in content, rich in experiences, and rich in the vision that formed them. And because it was also, during those difficult periods, a stable and constant relationship despite the severe political and security storms that struck this region,” said the Syrian president.
Both presidents expressed hope that the visit would result in greater relations between Tehran and Damascus in a way that serves the interests of the people of the two countries.
Following the meeting, Raisi and Assad oversaw the signing of 15 agreements of cooperation between the two countries.
Syrians rose up against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, leading to a full-scale civil war that has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrian people and has left millions more in need of humanitarian assistance.
Largely assisted by Russian air attacks and Iranian support, Assad restored control over most of the country after 12 years of war killed half a million people and displaced almost half of the Syrian population.
Raisi’s visit comes amid key regional developments as Assad seems to be welcomed back into the Arab fold, and a recent rapprochement between regional foes Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment