Iran’s FM meets with Syrian president in Damascus

Amirabdollahian arrived in Damascus earlier on Sunday as part of the second leg of his regional tour after visiting Lebanon.

During their meeting, Amirabdollahian and President Assad discussed the Israeli war against the Gaza Strip and stressed the need for the aggression against Palestinians to stop.

The Iranian minister said Gaza is the “main issue” at the regional international levels, while hailing Syria for supporting the Palestinians and their cause.

He also handed over an official invitation from President Ebrahim Raisi to his Syrian counterpart to visit Iran.

The Syrian president said the United States’ military support for the Israeli regime threatens to expand the conflict to other parts of the region.

“The Zionist entity and the West are in trouble today, and the West is now required to save that entity, and Israel’s escalation in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon is nothing but an attempt to get out of this trouble,” President Assad was quoted as saying by Syria’s official SANA news agency.

Iran’s foreign minister also held discussions with his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad.

During the meeting, Amirabdollahian said joint consultations on bilateral and regional issues were crucial.

He emphasized the importance of follow-ups for the realization and implementation of agreements and documents signed between the two countries’ presidents during President Raisi's previous visit to Syria.

The foreign minister underscored the significant role of the private sector in the economic relations between the two countries, adding that it is essential to address obstacles and expedite cooperation through joint efforts in this regard.

Mekdad, for his part, said the Iranian foreign minister’ visit to Syria was important in light of regional developments.

He also called for closer joint consultations between the two neighboring countries.

Amirabdollahian’s regional tour is part of Iran’s diplomatic efforts, along with other key regional players, to bring an end to the Israeli regime’s genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, which has entered its fifth month.

Iran has repeatedly warned that the Israeli aggression in Gaza could engulf the whole region, as the Zionist regime has escalated tensions by ramping up airstrikes against Syria and Lebanon since the war began.

While in Lebanon, Iran’s top diplomat met with senior Lebanese and Resistance officials to discuss the Israeli war on Gaza and its ramifications for the region.