Iranian first VP describes visit to Syria as useful

Iranian First Vice President Parviz Davoudi described his three-day official visit to Syria as "useful and valuable" on Saturday as he returned from Damascus, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Davoudi attended the Iran-Syria Joint High Committee session, during which the two sides discussed expansion of cooperation and signed eight documents.

Davoudi also said that he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Vice President Farouq Sharaa and Prime Minister Naji Ottri, adding that the two sides "agreed to adopt common stances on economic and political issues taking into account the current sensitive situation in the region."

Iran and Syria have maintained close ties since the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, during which Syria sided with Tehran against Iraq under the former Saddam Hussein's regime.

The two countries are both under US economic sanctions under US accusions of sponsoring terrorism.

Last month, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid an official visit to Syria and met with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.