Syria - Iran facing common pressure, officials say

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad stressed Iran's right to gain access to peaceful nuclear technology in accordance with international laws and regulations, while meeting with visiting Iranian Vice-President Hussein Dehghan on Wednesday, and praise Iran's efforts in the political arena to safeguard the interests of regional countries.

Dehghan, for his part, stressed Iran's support for Syria's position, and said Iran was determined to resume its uranium enrichment activities and complete the nuclear fuel cycle for peaceful applications.

He also underlined the need to further expand bilateral cooperation on regional and international issues as a means of foiling the conspiracies of common enemies as well as those of other Muslim nations.

In the meeting the two officials noted that the "bullying powers are putting a great pressure on Tehran and Damascus due to their insistence on the inalienable rights of Muslim nations."

The two sides agreed that there was a need to establish more convergence and cooperation among Islamic states. Dehqan called for the establishment of an Iran-Syria high commission in Tehran at the earliest possible time.

He expressed Tehran's full readiness to expand economic cooperation with Damascus.

Al-Utri, who assessed the current situation in the region as "sensitive," said the current condition would entail that the two nations enhance their relations in all fields.

The Syrian premier also called for more serious and broad participation of Iranian technical and engineering companies in development projects in his country.

The Iranian vice-president, who arrived in Damascus Monday night, left for Beirut on yesterday.