Al-Assad in Iran, discusses regional issues with counterpart
Syria-Iran, Politics, 8/8/2005

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday about his Sunday official visit to Iran that he will discuss with high ranking Iranian officials a number of considerable issues due the circumstances surrounding the region as well as the world.

"Some of those issues have become traditional, but their daily details are changing and rich, on top of them is the Iraqi issue and the deteriorated political situation we are witnessing there," the President said answering journalists questions.

The president spoke of the the cultural, economic and social declines that Iraq has been witnessing, as well as their influence on the neighboring countries including Syria and Iran.

"We will hold consultations on terrorism which has been expanding in the Middle East, and we will touch upon the peace process in the region which is paralyzed and stopped long time ago," President al-Assad said.

He mentioned that peace and stability in the region are important for Iran and Syria, noting "our negotiations with the Iranian officials aim to find practical ways to attain better situation."

"Our national interests and principles are not separate from that of the other regional states. We should reach a common view, as two key states of the region, in a way that serves interest of all the other neighboring states," President al-Assad said.

He offered felicitation to Iran's new President Ahmadinjad on wining national trust of the Iranians saying "I am so pleasant to be again in the friendly country of Iran and meet President Ahmadinjad at the beginning of his term of office."

Syrian-Iranian relations are deep-rooted and developing and Syria is one of the steadfast, struggling and resisting countries in the Arab and Islamic worlds as well, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday.

"President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian nation are on the vanguard of defending the Islamic Ummah," Ahmadinejad told reporters, stressing that common threats to Iran and Syria require joint cooperation from the two countries more than ever.

As for Iran and Syria's role for the region's future, Ahmadinejad said "they have an important and decisive role."

"The Iranians consider Syria's issues as theirs, and we believe that Syrians feelings are mutual," he underlined, adding that relations between the two countries have a great value particularly when lots of the two countries enemies are attempting to weaken these ties.

The Iranian president showed great hospitality when receiving president al-Assad, saying "it is my pleasure to meet President Bashar al-Assad who is a friend and advocator for Iran and the Iranian people as well."

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad in Tehran tomorrow   (7/22/2005)
  Arab-Iranian culture studies center opened in Damascus   (6/22/2005)
  Syrian, Iranian relations highlighted   (5/30/2005)

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